Convictions
by qjhayes11
Summary: Book 3 of the Raven Series. AUSA Carmichael is handed a bombshell of a case by Agent Booth, one that will determine the future of the United States itself. Torn between the safety of her children or letting a traitor ascend to the presidency, Abbie is forced to trust six strangers with her life, one that looks almost exactly like her and another who gets her heart racing wildly.
1. Chapter 1

_**AN: I know, i know, four open stories is absolutely ridiculous. I haven't given up on them, just got caught up in some writer's block for the three prequels, but i swear, i haven't given up. CuriousWanderer sent me a new program that helped clear up my stories a lot. (Try Scrivener, it's friggin awesome). This one really is 89% completed, just working out an appropriate ending. Funny thing is that i have about nine stories working over, since the kids are going to be gone from X-Mas to New years, i plan on Binging on SVU (I don't watch it with the kids at home) for the prequels about Liv's GFs. I need Alex for something else entirely and I have a plan for Casey (and Amelia) that I want to finish. But i know i haven't posted dookey in a while and i didn't want to neglect you. Expect posts to Disclosure, Discovery, and Friend in Me when i get them out (Can't guarantee a time at the moment) and also a new story that's kind of a knock off of Tears of the Sun meets A-team. Its funny, wity and has no real plot that i can find. A throw back to old 80's movies of sad plots and big explosions.**_

 _ **Meanwhile, here she is, back by popular demand, Abbie Carmichael. I swear if this was a tv show or movie i'd have to pay Ms. Harmon double on this one.**_

 _ **As always, the characters in this story are the properties of their respective owners studios, blah blah blah, except for my originals which are figments of my poor (by that I mean broke) imagination. And to the fine actors that portray them, i tried my best to treat them with respect and keep them consistant with your portrayals. Rating is based on language as I DON'T WRITE SMUT, try word pad if that's what you like.**_

 _ **Oh and this story, and this series is dear to my heart but i DO want to know what you think so, PLEASE, take a minute to leave a review so i know where i screwed up or got it right. Thank's for playing along.**_

 _ **Oh, before i forget, CP, i got what you asked for. This one goes out to The Curious Wanderer, best wishes to your family my brother. And to Zarosguth, who has kind of disappeared recently. (hope you're okay man.)**_

* * *

Prologue

His knuckles bloody and aching, Patrick Doyle Jr. ascended the steps of his best kept secret, the small house in Southey where he lived. His second, Danny O'Toole pulled out his keys and opened the door for his boss.

"Make sure word gets out." Paddy grumbled. "Anyone who gives bad information on Maura's attacker trying to settle some old score will get the Southey treatment like Flynn did."

O'Toole nodded. "You got it boss."

As Paddy pulled off his coat and hung it up on the coat hook, the light next to the couch clicked on. O'Toole reached for his gun, but froze as one was shoved into the back of his head.

Jerking, Paddy saw a man sitting on his couch dressed in a handmade suit that was worth a fortune. The man had one leg crossed over his knee and his arms spread along the couch. He was about Paddy's age, with grey hair clipped close to his head and a receding hairline. His eyes held a certain sinister intent though he was smiling.

"Mr. Doyle," he said almost cheerfully. "I trust that your point was made with Gary Flynn? I honestly thought that I wouldn't get the chance to meet with you before my flight."

Paddy reached to his belt line for his gun. The click of another pistol caught his attention. A very tall black man held a gun to Donny while simultaneously pointing one at him.

"What do you say we conduct our little criminal parlay with some dignity?"

Paddy glared, but let go of his gun, barely. "Donny put it away."

His number two glanced at him and received a nod. O'Toole lowered his gun, but kept it in his hand.

"Dembe," the man nodded. "Ask Mr. O'Toole for his gun since he doesn't seem to know what Parlay means."

The black man took the pistol and set it on a table. Only then did he put away his guns.

"I apologize for the way we're meeting for the first time, but in your business I'm sure you understand about taking precautions." He stood up and held out his hand. "My name is Red Reddington."

Though he didn't trust a word he said, Paddy had heard the name before. He carefully shook his hand and moved to his recliner.

"Number four on the FBI's most wanted list." Paddy gave a lopsided grin. "I should turn you in."

Red smiled again. "No doubt your daughter-in-law would get a kick out of it."

At the mention of her, Paddy realized that this was a very dangerous man.

"Relax Patrick, may I call you Patrick?"

"The name is Paddy." He said firmly.

Red smirked again. "How very Irish of you. Very well, Paddy."

He brushed his knee and again stretched his arms over the back of the couch. "I have to say that I am truly amazed at how you've adapted over the last thirty years. Most of the old crime organizations have gone into finance, insider trading, influencing the stock market, but good old fashion racketeering and extortion." He shook himself in mock delight. "Truly the Irish are the original hard workers."

Paddy snorted. "And someone like you came down here for this? Just to admire my perfectly legal hobbies."

Laughing Red tipped his head back, "Oh no, I would never waste your time or mine with something so trivial. I was merely being polite."

Red sat up and cupped his hands together. "As a matter of fact, I came all the way to Boston for," he raised his right hand and placing his thumb against his index finger with his others spread slightly, "a very specific reason."

"And what's that?"

"Ordinarily, I would send someone like Dembe to ask... or pressure, depending on your response, for what I need. But the circumstances that I am dealing with as well as yours with the attack on your daughter last Christmas, I felt that it would be best to come and see you in person."

Again Paddy stiffened.

Red's voice lowered into a serious tone, "Daughters are unspeakably precious and in the world we live in we are forced to take their protection seriously. For example, I spend millions of dollars every year to ensure the safety of my daughter. Not that she appreciates or even knows that I do. Honestly at this point it should be a line item on my taxes. That is if I paid taxes."

He gave a light chuckle before continuing. "As a father in an unfortunate line of work, I understand the deep need for vengeance on the animal that ordered the hit on your daughter. Had it been mine, no soul in heaven or on earth could stop me from making that man pay."

Paddy nodded. "I will find him."

"Of that I have no doubt." Red's eyes focused solely on Paddy's. "However, I am here to ask you to do something that I don't have a right to ask. Your daughter-in-law is involved in an investigation outside of normal means and I need that investigation to remain unhindered for the moment."

"I have no say in Jane's business." Paddy leaned back, "It's a line I can't cross with her or she'll put me away."

"Understandable. However, the man you are pursuing for injuring your daughter has some very interesting connections to some rather powerful people. Ties that I need to reveal for my own business. Ties that Detective Rizzoli and Detective Beckett will undoubtedly shake loose for a man looking in the right place. To that end I am offering you a one time deal."

"There is no deal that will stop me from finding him."

"Nor should it." Red leaned back against the couch. "I'm not asking you to let it go, I'm asking you to leave it alone temporarily and in exchange for your patience, I will give you his name and the name of the man he works for. That's two for a little patience."

"You know who he is?" Paddy asked incredulously.

"I do, but he is a puppet for someone else."

Paddy leaned onto his elbow, "You're going to have to do better than that."

Red nodded, "I once spent three days in Scotland with a gentleman who had the most interesting name, Red Reading. Unfortunately, at the time I was looking over my shoulder for Scotland Yard's Constables. So I paid him several thousand dollars to run his mule over his field wearing my coat. Naturally the Constables caught up with him as I was making my escape and he spent a few days in their care, but the interesting thing was that a few days later, Scotland Yard reported the appearance of Raymond Reddington as a hoax to INTERPOL."

"I'm sure there's a point to be found here," Paddy said impatiently.

"The people I deal with get a kick out of someone using their name. If I had a nickel for everyone who called himself a Kingmaker, I'd be... well, richer than I already am. And really smart people, like the Kingmaker, love it when others use their name. Especially when they get caught because it attracts attention away from them. I sincerely doubt that your Kingmaker and mine are the same, but in the interests of being thorough, I need to be sure. If it is him, I will hand deliver his pawn to you for your satisfaction."

"And if it's not him?"

Red smiled. "Your man couldn't wipe his ass without checking with his boss. If it's not my Kingmaker, I'll give you both of them and tell you to have fun."

"And if I find out who he is before you tell me?" Paddy leveled a cold look.

"Then I ask you to remember that he had to get approval. He didn't act alone and I'm your only chance to get him.

Red picked up his hat from the table and placed it on his head. "Doyle, I know you don't know me from Adam, but think about who you are dealing with. I've bought and sold governments, arranged assassinations on the untouchable, and I know the most intimate secrets of the most disreputable criminals on the world. They don't call me the Concierge of Crime because of these sharp suits. Take my deal, get your revenge. Withdraw the reward you put out for the name and I will call you when I have what I need."

He left Paddy and his man to think as Dembe followed him out to the car.

"I'll call the boys." Donny said and dug for his phone. "Reddington will never leave Boston."

"Don't." Paddy glared. "Let Reddington go."

"Paddy," O'Toole protested.

"Raymond Reddington didn't get where he is by being stupid." The crime boss stood up. "And if someone else is at all responsible, I want them too.

"So you're going to pull the reward?"

"Of course not." He said. "Reddington knows I won't just back down. But now I know that he has something in this as well and I doubt it has anything to do with this so called 'kingmaker'. Reddington doesn't get into minor affairs so whoever attacked Maura is into something a whole lot bigger than Boston. When are they due back?"

"End of the week." Donny said. "Who takes a honeymoon in Italy anyway?"

Paddy chuckled. Donny was clueless when it came to women.

* * *

"The Kingmaker is dead." Dembe said in his deep African accent.

"Yes, but Doyle doesn't know that." He replied as he sat down in the back seat of the Mercedes.

"Then why the big story?"

"Obviously I'm not interested in Bracken or his boss. It's the Raven I want to know about. Who is she and where did she come from? I can't begin to tell you how unnerving it is to find out that their is a new player in the market that I know absolutely nothing about. Especially considering that she dropped over twenty bodies in New York City without a single trace of evidence leading back to her. Talent like that needs to be watched carefully."

Dembe nodded as he sat down in the driver's seat and started the car. Before he could drive away his phone rang. Dembe pulled it out and smiled slightly at the number, "It's Agent Keen." he said and answered it.

Before he could even say a word an angry woman's voice echoed loudly from the speaker, " _Put him on, Dembe!"_

* * *

Chapter 1

Special Agent Seeley Booth sat two houses down outside of a modest, but comfortable home outside of Alexandria, not far from his own home in Fairfax. He sat in his standard FBI issued SUV flipping through the file in front of him as he contemplated how to get the attorney he had come to see on board with the case. She was the only one in Washington that the people who put him on this case trusted to prosecute. He shook his head and turned to the back page where there was a dossier of the woman he was waiting for. Her list of cases was impressive and she had a very good 20 year span of convictions. Booth reconsidered how much to include on this first meeting.

Another car came up Primrose and he watched it as it passed him and pulled into another driveway. Not the one he was looking for, but he watched it all the same. A plump woman about five feet tall climbed her girth out of the car and ambled into the house in a leisurely fashion.

He turned back to the dossier and resumed scanning. As he discreetly backgrounded the United States Attorney, his biggest concern had been the husband. He had a good background, but nothing startling and nothing overly redeeming either. Seven years with US Customs before joining up with the Department of Homeland Security when it was created in 2002. Since then he climbed the ladder at a steady pace that Booth thought was just a little too steady. John Griffin looked like a stand up All-American Fed right down to his profile photo but at some point he should have either been reprimanded or if he was that good, jumped ahead of the curve at least once.

John Griffin was as embarrassingly normal as it got and that's what bothered Booth. His instincts kept telling him that there was something wrong with Griffin's file. Everyone involved in this case had either been killed or suffered a near fatal attack because the subject in his investigation would do anything to preserve his position. That and with ramifications all over Washington on this case he was being very careful to the point where he hadn't even told his wife what was going on lest he put her or their children in danger. It was the same reason he regretted having to overcome with the lawyer he waited for, she had three. But the detectives who started this swore to him that if they needed, they'd be here, heavily armed if need be.

He watched as the burgundy metallic flake Chevy Malibu turned on to Primrose and he identified it quickly as the car he had been waiting for. He started up his SUV and stuffed the file between the seats before he placed the truck in drive. He caught sight of her clearly as she pulled into her driveway. A straight length of jet black hair stretched down to beneath her shoulders as she got out of the car. He let go of the break and casually pulled into the driveway next to her. She turned her head sharply and grimaced, not recognizing his vehicle. As he parked and rolled down the passenger window, her features stunned him, they were right, she looked almost exactly like the Boston born cop.

"AUSA Griffin." He said politely.

She frowned as she looked inside. "Do I know you?"

He flashed his badge, "I'm Seeley Booth with the FBI. Can I have a few moments of your time, please?"

She shook her head and put a hand on her hip, her voice was raspy with a slight Texas drawl to it, "I've got my husband coming home and I've also got three kids getting off the bus in a half hour. I don't discuss business out of the office so I suggest you make an appointment at the US Attorney's Office and one of us will get back to you."

She popped the trunk and pulled out a grocery bag.

Booth shut the car off so he could speak, "I know that, ma'am, but the thing is, you came highly recommended by a mutual acquaintance. I only need two minutes."

She shut the trunk and leaned down to look at him again, "Look Special Agent whoever-you-are. I really don't have time for this and quite frankly, if you're not willing to go to the OUSA than I probably don't want any part of what you have going on."

"I'll get there eventually, but right now I need to know that I have a case."

She snorted, "If you don't know that than you're in the wrong line of work, Bucko."

He looked deep into her dark eyes, "Please, it's for two friends of mine and a third who says that you are the only one she'd ever trust with this. She said that you owe her."

"I don't owe anyone anything." She turned to leave, but threw over her shoulder, "And I'm very proud of that fact."

Booth opened his door and stuck his head out. "She said Abbie Carmichael still owes her for that white dress."

Abbie stopped at her maiden name and turned sharply. "What white dress?"

"New York City, New Year's Eve, 2001." He smiled slightly, "She said you spilled a glass of very nice red wine on Alex's very white dress because she hurt your friend's feelings that night. She said that if you give me two minutes of your time, she'll call it even."

Abbie stared at him, not many knew about that night fourteen years ago and in truth had he not mentioned the specific New Year's party, she wouldn't have remembered. And only one other knew for certain that she had deliberately dumped that wine onto Alex's dress.

Booth held a finger to his mouth, "No names. Two minutes and then if you want I'll drive away and you can forget I was ever here."

She sighed as she sat the grocery bag on the roof of her car. "Two minutes, Booth."

He stepped back into the SUV and gestured at the door. She climbed in and he rolled the window up.

Checking her watch she nodded, "Two minutes, go."

He pulled the file out. "I have a case I'm investigating off the book for now. Eventually, I plan on going at this guy, but I need to have it all set up before I can."

She took the file and flipped it open and frowned at all the black marks on it. "A little paranoid. Last time i saw this kind of redaction was from the CIA"

"You call it paranoia. I call it keeping a secret in a town where they tend to come out." He pointed at two blacked out names, "This first came about twenty years ago where a female lawyer was killed to conceal the truth about a patsy who had been framed. Three cops who couldn't prosecute a hand full of Mob bosses started kidnapping them for ransom. Figures are sketchy, but we're talking hundreds of thousands before the nineties. The lawyer uncovered dirt that would have released the patsy, but they killed the fall guy to keep the secret, then killed her because she knew too much.

"Five years later her only child becomes a homicide detective and accidentally uncovers something on that murder. She almost dies due to it and her Unit Commander is one of the three dirty cops, brought her into homicide to keep her from digging too deep since this is all being done under one man's ambitions. Two years ago, the Captain writes a huge confession before facing off with a strike team hired to hide the evidence and kill the detective. He gave his life to keep her safe. At his funeral, she's shot in the chest and the gunman got away.

"Not even a year later she makes Sergeant and her best friend joins her in Homicide from another city. A few months after that, a contract killer is sent to take them both out in a warehouse. The partner puts one through his head to save her sergeant.

"Another few weeks go by and another killer is sent to take out the partner and her girlfriend who is a renowned Medical Examiner turned teacher at a med school. Having no choice she was forced to kill him too. The sergeant, her boyfriend and his nineteen year old daughter, the partner and her girlfriend are again attacked in the partner's hometown. It was the teenager who took him out and was traumatized by the event.

"After that, they said that they cut a deal with the bad guy to stop the attacks, I didn't ask the details because I probably don't want to know. Our bad guy said that if they drop this case he'll leave them alone. Since then it has been quiet, but with the attempt on both of them and their families, they are convinced that it's only a matter of time before he comes after them again. They turned the case and all of its materials over to me and I've uncovered a lot of alarming things."

She stared at him, "It sounds like a bad _Novellas_ episode."

"Yeah well the reality sucks because I just got this guy's financials back and there is a seedy trail that looks like it leads back to a Colombian Drug cartel, but I just got it third person and I haven't had time to re-chase the money."

"So, who is this guy and if you have all of this why haven't you gone after him?"

He sighed as he stared out the windshield "Because the suspect is a sitting U.S. Senator. And I really need more than conspiracy to commit murder to go after him for."

She jerked in her seat, "Are you friggin' crazy. You want to go after a sitting U.S. senator on this bullshit?"

He looked at her then and he could definitely see a resemblance there, "No, that's why I need your help. I got all of this from these two detectives and your friend who has been keeping them objective plus I've put more together on my own. They put me on this because they believe in what I do as much as they do in their own work. They're not your typical cops and I'm not your typical Fed. They're good people and I don't want anything to happen to them. And since you met the partners in New York about two months ago, I'd hoped that putting a face to them would help."

She crinkled her nose at him, "Do you have any idea how many people I meet in a day? I couldn't count them any better than you could. And that friend you mention, i haven't seen her in eight years or so."

He smiled, "One of the partners said you wouldn't forget her any more than she could possibly forget you."

"Really? You got a picture of her or something?" She asked, not really buying it.

"Nope, but she told me to ask you one question." he said with a sharp knowing grin on his face. "You'll know who I'm talking about."

Abbie didn't particularly like the look. "What's the question?"

He smiled again, "She says that ever since she met you, she can't look into a mirror without seeing you staring back at her. She wanted me to ask if that ever happens to you, too."

Abbie's mouth fell open as the image of tangled wavy black curls framing her own face swam in her mind. She was about to respond when a loud knock sounded against the window. She spun to find her husband standing outside the SUV and not terribly happy.

Booth hit the window lock out and said, "He can't know anything about this for both of your sakes." He released the lock.

She rolled down the window with a smile on her face, "Hi, hubby." She leaned out the window and kissed him. It was one of those good married kisses, certainly not what he had seen come from either of the detectives.

"Hey baby, who's this?" He asked as he eyed the good looking guy in the suit.

She waved at Seeley. "He's FBI. He wanted a quick consult on a case he's working and didn't catch me before I left the office."

He frowned, "Honey, we agreed to leave our work at the office, remember?"

"Yeah, but he's a new referral so he didn't know that and I am explaining it to him." She sighed at his irritation, "Just give me five minutes and I'll be right in."

He nodded, "Okay baby doll." He took the bag off the roof of her car and carried it inside. Once inside, Booth watched as the blind started shifting slightly a few seconds later.

Abbie rolled up the window and pulled open the file again. "Okay, so I don't get into yet another fight with my husband over work. You're going to have to leave now." She pulled a blackberry out of her pocket and slipped the stylus out of the top. She flipped open her calendar and paged through the digital notepad. "I've got three hours free on Thursday starting at one thirty. Bring what you have to my office. I'm not going to say that I'll prosecute but I can at least go over your case and show you where the holes are. It's going to have to be one hell of a case to go after a senator."

He shook his head, "The time works. but not the place."

She looked at him. "Then what do you suggest, some back alley?"

Booth smiled mischievously again, "How about a nice friendly atmosphere with lots of people. The Jeffersonian Museum has an excellent Ancient Egyptian display set up. Meet me in front of Imhotep at two on Thursday."

She stared at him in disbelief, "Ancient Egyptian display, that's where you want to meetup to talk about a potentially dangerous case like this."

He tipped his head, "No place safer in all of Washington. Just trust me."

She shook her head, "Trust is a good idea for other people, Agent Booth. No attorney worth her weight would trust you on this."

He smiled and tipped a finger at her "Now you're thinking."

She set the file down and climbed out. She was about to shut the door when she hesitated. She leaned down slightly to catch his eye, "Agent Booth?"

He looked up at her.

"Next time you see your friend, tell her that I see her every morning, right before I put on my makeup."

He nodded and smiled a lopsided grin, "I'll tell her. Have a nice day Mrs. Griffin."

She shut the door and headed into the house without looking back. As he backed out he caught sight of the husband eyeing him. Booth waved and hit the gas gently.

* * *

"So who was that?" John Griffin asked as he turned on the coffee pot. "He's not one of your regulars."

"A new referral." She said casually as she started to put away the groceries she'd bought. "Why they can never come to the office first is beyond me."

"So you did explain that you don't work from home?"

Abbie rolled her eyes, "Yes John. That is exactly what I was explaining to him."

He nodded and turned back to pour himself a cup. "So what's his name? What division does he work?"

Placing a stack of hard taco shells in the pantry, she opened her mouth to tell him, but Booth's words rang in her head.

 _They're good people and I don't want anything to happen to them._

An image of that woman who looks so much like her ran through her head, the scars on her hands and neck, the life she must have lead to be so damaged.

"I wasn't paying that much attention." She said.

"Say what?" He asked looking over his shoulder.

"I was too busy telling him that he had to come to my office." She said nonchalantly.

He set the cup down, "A guy comes to our home and you don't ask any questions like who the hell are you?"

Abbie shrugged at him, "He said he was FBI, showed me his badge and I shooed him away until he comes to my office. Jesus, John. I can't control the entire judicial system."

"No, but you don't mind getting into his car in our fucking driveway!"

His angry shouts brought her full attention on him. He was angry yes, but he was also jealous.

"What exactly are you trying to imply here John?" She barked, "That I'm screwing around on you?"

He glared red at her.

"Because if I'm not mistaken, I'm not the one who got caught with my tongue in Kim Greylek's ear and my hand up her skirt. But, I do know someone else in this house who did do that."

John grabbed her roughly by her arm, "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

Abbie jerked her arm free, "I'll buy ocean front property in Dallas first. You're lucky I didn't file for divorce that night. She's lucky I didn't hog tie and horse whip the bitch."

"It was a mistake!" He shouted in her face.

"No!" She rebutted right to his nose, "A mistake is forgetting to take out the trash, a mistake is forgetting to lock the front door. Sliding your hand between a woman's thighs in a bar while you stick your tongue in her ear is fucking _cheating_!"

She could see the vein pulsing as it protruded from his forehead.

He wanted to hit her, but he knew better. His wife had a Texas temper that was hard to reach, but once you did, look out. And if that wasn't enough, she was a much better shot than he was.

"I should have fucked her hard that night." he growled in her face, "At least then you'd have a reason for throwing it in my face."

Abbie's eyes hardened. "Get out! Right now!"

John grabbed his keys off the counter and stormed out. The last she heard from him that night was the tires on his car squealing out of the driveway.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Z, great to have you back buddy. Thanks to my friends who've helped out alot with your ideas. cdphan, thank you for the intriguing idea that brought Red into this story, as i said, i got your request in here but it's a couple of weeks away. hope the next chapter is a good one for you folks. Happy Holidays. Oh, the timing on a few shows is a little off, great example, Bones is just starting her pregnancy with her son. but it is an AU so i'm going to let it roll. Imhotep display is a tip of the hat to the Mummy._**

* * *

Chapter 2

 **Jeffersonian Museum of History,**

 **Washington D.C.**

Abbie leaned against a support pillar in front of the display of Imhotep patiently awaiting the dark FBI guy's arrival. She had been staring at both entrances to the room for almost fifteen minutes when she heard a tap next to her. She looked at the glass display case to see Booth standing next to the ancient mummy, inside the display! He smiled and pointed a finger towards the side of the display and she shoved down her surprise, picked up her briefcase and walked to the side he indicated as he ducked behind the ancient sarcophagus.

She rounded the case just in time for the security door against the wall to open. Booth held the door for her as she stepped through. She found herself staring at a storage room filled with boxes labeled for each item of the Egyptian display.

"Well, this doesn't feel like cloak and dagger." She said sarcastically.

He smiled, "It gets better. C'mon." He led her through the maze of crates to another door that led to the Jeffersonian's artifact storage.

"Just try not to touch anything." He cautioned, "The squints get all twisted up inside when someone leaves a fingerprint in here."

She snorted loudly as he led her through the warehouse. "The squints? What's a squint?"

"Scientists," he beamed at her, "They squint at things."

With a confused countenance, she followed him through the warehouse but as they came across a guy in a lab coat squinting through a magnifying glass, she got the joke and started chuckling.

After a few more minutes and a little self-control Abbie finally asked Booth the question that was on her mind since seeing him next to the mummy. "So why the tour of the back ends of the museum and where exactly are we going?"

"We're going to the safest office in town to talk in and the back way is the best way to make sure you weren't followed." He said confidently, as if this was a normal thing for him.

She looked pointedly at him, "Paranoid much?"

Booth stopped short and turned to face her, a grim expression on his face, "You've been in D.C. long enough to hear about the scandals and conspiracies. I'm going to show you some things that very important people do not want known. This is dangerous stuff, Counselor. It's already taken the lives of good people and I don't want you, me or those detectives added to that list. The only reason I can't walk away from this is because I can't live with the knowledge that this guy might one day sit behind the big desk at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and I could have done something to stop it."

Shocked at his words, Abbie was taken aback at his statement, "Are you serious?"

He nodded severely, "If I don't stop this guy, this country could be sold out to the cartels for the price of a few votes."

She shuddered as he directed her to a small man door that emptied out into a hallway. At the end were glass doors and the logo of the Medico Legal department.

Booth pulled a card out of his pocket and slid it through the card reader on the wall. The glass doors parted from each other and he lead her inside. Within seconds after the doors closed again, Abbie felt the air being exchanged and after a short period of time a light beep sounded before the second pair of doors opened.

She looked out onto the floor of a laboratory the likes of which she had never seen before. As big as a warehouse with a huge raised dais in the center where people were working over skeletons and heavily decayed bodies. Surrounding the dais were workstations for various sciences. The edges held offices and people scurried about carrying equipment and detached body parts that appeared to be ancient.

On one side of the dais was a tall thin woman in a white lab coat directing a handful of others. She spoke clearly and was apparently in charge but somehow Abbie thought she was familiar. As they walked closer and Abbie got a better look, she realized who she was seeing.

"Oh my god!" She said in awe. "That's Dr. Temperance Brennan!"

"Yes it is." There was something in Booth's voice that Abbie missed.

"They say that she's the best." her voice resonating the admiration she felt. "That there's no body she can't identify."

"She _is_ the best." Booth said with pride.

Dr. Brennan was something of a legend in DC. Everyone wished that she had worked the forensics on their cases because they were usually irrefutable. But there was one thing Abbie simply had to know. "How good is she?"

He turned to look at her and smiled, "Cup your hands behind your back, play along, and I'll show you."

He started across the floor and she stepped quickly behind him. As he bypassed the stairs and the two guards standing there, he looked up at Brennan.

"Bones." He said with a happy note.

Dr. Brennan raised her head up to look at the Fed, "I'm waiting on Hodgins to bring the skull back on the Virginia case. Dr. Saroyan has the body from South Carolina for a tox screen and autopsy." She turned back to the rest of the skeleton on the table.

"Okay." He said and passed Abbie a glance. "Jane and I are going to use your office for a while, okay?"

"Jane is here?" She looked up and her sky blue eyes focused solely on Abbie for only a second before she frowned. "Booth, that's not Jane."

Abbie had to clench her jaw to keep it from falling open. Brennan had called her out from more than fifty feet away and on a raised work area, with safety glasses on, and at barely a glance.

"Sure it is," Booth said and raised an indicating hand to the AUSA, "Look at her."

Bones set her tool down and stood up straight. "Jane Rizzoli is an Italian woman with some distant Greek ancestry. That woman's facial structure indicates a more northern European genealogy. Her zygomatic arches indicate Scottish descent, not Italian, but with a distant Norse lineage. Whoever you brought into this lab, she is not Jane Rizzoli, though her appearance is beyond striking and I can see how you'd be confused."

Abbie couldn't contain her surprise anymore, "How could you see that? I couldn't tell the difference when she was standing in front of me."

Bones smirked slightly at the surprised woman, "You were probably in a heightened state of awareness brought on by shock and you were more focused on the similarities then differences." She looked at Booth, "Should I be calling for security?"

"No thanks. I just wanted to show you off a little." Booth smiled proudly, "Thanks, Bones."

She rolled her eyes and picked up her tool, "I need my office in approximately twenty five minutes." Without a single word otherwise she went back to doing… whatever it was she was doing when they walked in, like she'd never been interrupted.

Abbie waited until Booth had closed the door in the office before she spoke, "She had me pegged as a fraud from over fifty feet away! At a glance!"

He smiled as he pulled a pair of baby socks out of a diaper bag under the desk and stuffed one over the lens of a camera hanging from the ceiling. He stuck another one on her desktop camera.

"I told you, she's the best anywhere." He said with that proud smile, "Smartest person I know and I've run into all kinds."

"She's impressive."

He nodded as he sat down in the doctor's chair. "She can't know anything about this case."

Abbie looked straight at him, "The best forensic anthropologist in the country and you don't want her working on your case? Why not?"

He plucked a picture frame off the desk and handed it to her.

Recognition rocked her as she saw Booth holding Brennan gently with a baby girl in her arms and a late teen boy under one of his.

"Because if something happened to my wife or my kids, I'd lose it." He said harshly.

* * *

 **Griffin Residence,**

 **Alexandria, VA.**

Abbie felt a little shellshocked after her meeting with Booth. What he had on the suspect was solid in most courts. However, how the detectives had gained the evidence was something of suspect. Booth had said that he could use their findings as a road map to retrace the money. The other evidence provided by the late Captain Roy Montgomery was compelling, as was his signed confession. Even so it would take a hell of an argument to avoid getting it discluded, which is exactly what the opposing counsel would try to do. Abbie had her assistant move the remainder of the day's appointments and had gone home.

Still, her mind was in overdrive at the implications of what she was staring at. Needing the comforts of home, Abbie started cooking a small variety of foods that reminded her of her home in Dallas. Though she didn't have time to smoke longhorn briskets, she instead opted for things a little less time consuming. Her sons loved it whenever she made real Texas Cuisine the way that her folks used to make it. Her boys still had a hard time imagining their mother growing up in Texas since all they'd ever seen is their mother, the conservative lawyer who's lived in Washington DC their entire lives. Except for when she had flown them to Dallas for her Aunt Mae's funeral. Of course John had been out of the country. Her boys had fallen in love with Texas food. So when they came home to the smell of pecan pie and cornbread, they knew that tonight was different.

She made them chicken fried steak, fried okra, Texas caviar, and cornbread. The pecan pie was passed out for desert. Her middle son Justin and her youngest, Jason, started cleaning up from dinner and washing the dishes while her oldest, Jeremy, pulled her aside.

"Whats going on, Mom?" he asked in concern.

She looked at her thirteen year old son, "Nothing, why?"

"Come on, Mom." He waved a hand towards the table, "This is your version of comfort food. So what's up?"

Inwardly cursing Jeremy's keen observations, she tipped her head toward him, "Nothing, I was just feelin' kinda home sick."

"It's a good thing you're a better lawyer than a fibber." He groused and before she could check her son he asked the question, "Are you and dad getting divorced?"

Her voice slipped slightly, revealing her drawl, "Look here, what in Sam Hill gave you that idea?"

He shrugged, "You and dad fight a lot more and he doesn't come home as much. Not that he was home a lot, but I've been keeping a calendar. He's gone an extra seven days a month now."

Abbie leveled a look at him, "Look here, buckaroo. Your father's job is important, he keeps things like 9-11 from happening all over again. I think making sure that never happens again is worth the extra seven days a month."

He sighed as he concluded that he wouldn't get anywhere with this but he wasn't about to let his mother think she'd snowballed him. "Like I said, it's a good thing you're a better lawyer than a fibber." He turned and walked back towards the table to help his brothers clean up.

Abbie stared at them in shock at her son's words. Jeremy was the smart responsible one, and he was surprisingly perceptive when it came to things like people who were hiding things. Honestly she thought he'd make a great detective one day.

Like on any other night, she ran the boys through their routine of showers, brushing teeth, and running them into bed. It always started with Justin, her nine year old and as he was climbing into bed, Jason started the cycle, then Jeremy was the last one through. Just after Jeremy finished dressing for bed, Abbie sat him down to talk.

"Look, I know things seem bad right now, but I love your dad." she said soothingly. "And sure, we don't always get along like we used to but..."

"Please, don't do the whole job thing again." he groaned. "I know he's important, but we're important too."

She nodded, "I know and it's not fair."

"Life seldom is, Mom." he said, "That's what you always told us, but maybe you should remind Dad of that too."

"Just so you know, that's not why I made fresh okra." She said as she tugged at the shoulder of his t-shirt to make sure it sat right on his shoulder.

Jeremy stared at her, waiting for the explanation.

"I was working on a really big, really important case today that a very old friend asked me to help with." She sat down on the edge of his bed and cupped her hands together. "No one's said it yet but I know they want me to prosecute it."

"How big a case?" He asked.

"Big." She replied and turned her head away from him, "And there's a lot of people who would depend on me to put this guy away. I gotta decide if I want to take it or give it to someone else."

Jeremy straightened slightly, "Does the bad guy hurt people?"

Turning to face him again she nodded, "Yeah, he's hurt a lot of really good people."

His brown eyes stared into hers, "Then you should do it. Don't let this guy get away with what he's doing."

She sucked her lip in slightly, "Even if that means I have to send you and your brothers away for a while?"

He jerked slightly in surprise, "Why would you have to send us away?"

Abbie sighed and ran her hand through his short curly dark brown hair, "Because he's really dangerous and you and your brothers could get hurt. I couldn't do that to you guys."

Jeremy looked off in the distance for a second in thought and then back to his mother, "Would Dad come with us?"

"I doubt it." she shook her head slightly, "Maybe I could send you guys off to your grandparents or my Uncle Earl's farm in Texas."

Frowning, Jeremy creased his brow, "If you don't take the case, could someone like Mr. Bellamy do it?"

She thought about her boss trying the case but Booth was right, whoever did prosecute the Senator, it was almost certainly a career death sentence and Charles Bellamy was at the cusp of becoming the Attorney General. But she wasn't about to tell that to her son so she settled on a lesser answer. "I'm the only one the victims trust."

Jeremy sat quietly in contemplation for a moment. Finally he looked up at her again, "You should take it, Mom. And if we do have to leave for a while, I'll watch over Jason and Justin."

His words filled her with pride and Abbie wondered how she had been blessed with such an amazing kid. Jeremy had never once failed to step up for her and it was her pure maternal pride that had her smiling at him.

"Well, fortunately I don't have to make that call yet, but I'll think about what you said."

Jeremy leaned over and hugged her gently, "Okay, but I need to get some sleep."

She kissed him on the head and let him go. "Good night, Jeremy."

"Night Mom." He replied as he pulled his blanket back, "Could you get the light for me?"

She nodded and flipped the switch on her way out of the bedroom.

* * *

 **Booth/Brennan Residence,**

 **Fairfax, VA.**

"So, who was that woman you brought into the lab today?"

Kneeling on the floor, Booth smiled as Christine tried to kick the bright pink ball that lay on the living room floor. She swung her foot at it and promptly fell on her bottom. The shock on her face caused booth to laugh as Bones picked up the little girl and planted her back on her feet.

the baby looked up at her mother who smiled brightly.

"Lab!" called out the toddler.

"Come on sweety." Booth said, "kick the ball."

Christine got her mother's determined look and swung her foot straight at it. The ball bounced across the floor and Booth caught it.

"Way to go, Christine!" He jubilantly shouted to his little girl, who was again sitting where she'd fallen.

"Booth." Brennan said in that insistent tone. "Who was she?"

Sighing he looked up at her, "Her name is Abbie Griffin and she's with the US Attorney's office."

"Her resemblance to Jane is very striking." Brennan said.

"I was surprised too." He hedged and to keep his very intelligent wife from digging into it he redirected the conversation, "it kind of makes me wonder if they are related in some way?"

Brennan picked up her daughter and cooed at her, "We don't think so do we, Christine. They look alike but they have very different anthropological origins."

He smiled at his cleverness.

"I'm not familiar with Abbie Griffin." Bones said as she cradled her child and looked up at him, "She hasn't worked on any of our cases before. Did something happen to Caroline? Is she new?"

"No." He said realizing that Bones was just warming up. "She's been in Washington for about thirteen years."

Brennan nodded and her look turned thoughtful, "She brought you a case."

"No." Booth said quickly, just a little too quickly.

Brennan caught it immediately and she scowled at him. "Booth, you're hiding something from me. Are you having an affair?"

His eyes widened in shock, "What?! No! Bones, come on."

"Then why are you being so secretive?"

He sighed. Knowing that she'd never let it go until she came up with the answer.

"I'm working with her on a case. It's not our kind of case and I can't talk about it right now."

She pinched her brow together. "I do have a higher security clearance than you."

She said it as a statement. Not a point of argument. Still Booth tried to defend.

"But this is compartmentalized." He said. "Bones, we work all of the cases together but this one... there's nothing for the Squint Squad to do on this one and right now, it just needs to stay quiet."

She wasn't buying it but knowing her husband, she was beginning to surmise what he was hiding.

"It's dangerous." She said. "You only try to keep things from me when you're worried someone will come after us."

Booth looked up at her. "Yeah. It's a bad one."

Brennan leaned back against the back of the couch. "And you won't tell me because if I know anything, it will endanger us. Despite knowing that I can take care of myself."

"Bones, you're pregnant." He said firmly. "I know you can take care of yourself but in this case, not knowing is safer than hiding. I promise that I'll explain it but I need you to let it go for now because if you don't, it's not just us. There's three other families like ours in the crosshairs. One wiff of this gets out before its time and we're all under fire."

Brennan looked at him in surprise. "Abbie Griffin makes three."

He nodded. "And they need this, Bones, if they're ever going to be safe again."

Crossing her arms she glared at him. "If there is anything I can do to help my-"

"I'll tell you." He interrupted.

She nodded back and smiled down at her daughter. Who didn't understand how the air became so serious. But as her mother beamed at her, the heavy air was forgotten.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Guess what? Its New Years Eve. So I got a present for you. A double header. Enjoy**_

* * *

 **Griffin Residence,**

 **Alexandria, VA.**

Leaning against the tile walls, Abbie let the steaming hot water cascade down her back as she contemplated the case. It was unbelievable and overwhelming. She was at the head of a choice that could determine the future of the United States of America. If she took this case, more than likely she alone would bear the consequences of taking on a United States Senator. Even if she could win, she would become persona non grata in the capital. No matter what happens, politicians didn't like people who went after politicians, whether they were dirty or not. Because in DC, everyone was dirty to some extent or another; that was the very nature of the animal.

Her choice was actually a simple one. On one hand, she alone could stop a monster from sitting in the Oval Office and prevent a nightmare by keeping a cartel puppet from absolute power. On the other hand, given what the mystery Senator had already done to keep his secrets, she was undoubtedly endangering her life and her family.

John was a federal agent, he knew what the costs could be. But Jeremy, Justin, and Jason, they were her children and there was no way she could do this if there was any chance that someone would come after them.

 _How do I keep my kids safe?_

Then Booth's words in Brennan's office came back to her. _If we have the need, they'll come. Guns blazing if they have to._

Abbie shut off the water and pulled back the curtain to stare in the mirror. In her mind she saw dark curls and scars, and a fierceness that she herself had never known.

 _Would she protect my kids?_

Abbie toweled off her body and dried her hair. After dressing in her usual sleeping affair of shorts and a t-shirt, she paused again to look in the mirror. She tried to imagine that other woman's life. Abbie knew that she was a cop, and she knew that she was a tough one. The kind of woman who would never put up with the fights that she and John have had.

Staring at the mirror Abbie cleared her throat, "What would you have done, if you found him feeling up another woman."

 _I'd kick his ass,_ would be the reply.

Looking over her attire, Abbie thought that the detective would never wear such to bed.

Walking out of the bathroom she looked through her drawers for something that looked like something _she'd_ wear.

All she found was a black wife beater and cotton briefs. She quickly slipped them on and returned to her mirror.

The image that presented itself was one that reached her soul. _She_ was a woman any man would beg to have and Abbie tried to imagine what kind of man she'd be with.

Suddenly a memory came back to her from that one and only meeting, _"...if my girlfriend was here, she could tell you the statistical probability..."_

Abbie's eyes widened in comprehension and she leaned in closer to the woman in the mirror, "Not a man. You have a girlfriend."

She continued to scrutinize her reflection. trying to get into the mind of that other woman but the more she tried, the less knowledge she seemed to possess. she stared into her own eyes and tried to see them as the detectives. But as she did, she came to one inescapable conclusion.

"I need answers." She whispered to the woman.

The sound of foot falls down the hall caused Abbie to jump. she turned and looked into the bedroom in time to see John walking in. He stripped off his shirt and caught sight of her.

"I'm sorry." He said, "I shouldn't have lost my temper."

Abbie rolled her eyes, "Yeah, well, you do that a lot lately."

"Yeah." John sat on the bed and pulled off his pants. "I tried to come by your office today to apologise."

She snorted and went back into the bathroom. "You left on Tuesday John. Today is Thursday. Where have you been?"

"Baltimore." He said and stripped off his underwear before following her, "I went back to HQ and headed into the fitness room to blow off some steam. Jennings caught me before I got there and asked if I wanted in on this tip he had on potential contraband coming into the Baltimore port."

He walked passed her and ran a hand down her back, "It ended up being pirated DVDs belonging to some domestic mobsters so we turned it over to the FBI."

John ran a hand through her straight dark hair and turned on the shower. "I went to your office to apologise, but Ashley said you were out on a meeting."

He slid up behind her and rubbed his hands along her ribs. "I like this outfit." He said and leaned down to kiss her.

Abbie turned away from him, "You don't get to just come home after saying what you said and expect me to just put out like that's going to make it all better."

He closed his eyes and breathed in a calming breath. "I know. Look Abbie, I know you're mad. I can't even blame you, but you know that I love you, and it wouldn't be so bad if we could just talk more."

 _Like we ever really talk about our problems._ She griped in her head. Still as he stood behind her, Abbie looked back into the mirror and thought again about the cop. She needed answers, but she knew she'd have to go get them.

Sighing, Abbie moved her eyes back to her husband, "John, I need you here this weekend."

He tipped his head to the side as he looked at her, "Okay?"

"I have to go out of town on this new case." She hedged, wishing that she didn't have to do it this way.

He frowned, "What new case? Is it the one that that fibby brought you?"

Again Booth's cautious words and actions forced Abbie to lie, "No, that one didn't pan out. This is a different one and I can't talk about it."

She could see him getting frustrated, "Where are you going?"

Abbie closed her eyes and hated herself for what she was about to do. "I have to go to New York, but the case is delicate so I can't talk about it at all." She backed her rear end into his groin. "I need you here for the boys."

John's arms slipped around her as she shifted her butt against his erect manhood, "Yeah I can do that." He breathed heatedly at the friction she created.

His hands cupped her breasts through the tank top before he lowered them to the hem of her shirt. Abbie stared into the mirror as he pulled her shirt up to remove it. Closing her eyes again Abbie lifted her arms over her head and let him.

Jareau Residence,

Georgetown, Washington D.C.

Coming off a long stint at the BAU Jennifer Jareau sighed in relief as she finally made it home. Hanging up her jacket she headed for the kitchen of her small home, called by the rich scent of fresh coffee. But what she found in her kitchen made her blood run cold.

He was standing with the coffee mug in one hand and stirring it with the other.

"Black with one sugar." He said quietly and set it on the counter and held a finger up to his lips, "Your son and your betrothed are upstairs sleeping.""

JJ grabbed for her gun but a strong hand caught her wrist. Without looking she swung a left hook at whoever grabbed her but the large African caught her fist in his hand right before he released her wrist and snatched her gun out of its holster. Once he had it. He let her go entirely and stepped back.

JJ rubbed her wrist and glared at the criminal in her house.

"What the hell do you want?" She cursed.

"That's hardly the way to speak to someone who did you a very big favor." His voice was low but held no menace, "honestly JJ, I thought you'd appreciate a chance to pay off the significant loan I extended you. Two fake passports, a new identity, three quarters of a million dollars, not to mention the inconvenience of repainting my jet to look like a government gulf stream."

"I was hoping it was forgotten." She grumbled.

Red laughed lightly. "Not a good business strategy but I assure you, you won't have to do anything particularly illegal to repay the favor."

The African set a folder onto the kitchen table.

"Assume everything in there is accurate and create a profile for me. Do not allow your colleagues to see it." He picked up his hat and set it on his head. "Use whatever resources you have in the BAU but keep it quiet. I don't think you want anyone knowing that you've contacted me even if it was to save Emily's life."

Dembe watched Red walk out and set JJ's gun on the counter before he locked the back door and walked out.

A sudden feeling of dread washed through her as her worst nightmare came true.

Raymond Reddington, the Concierge of Crime, number 4 on the FBI's Most Wanted list, had called in on the favor she'd asked him for.

A favor that had saved a friends life.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Here it is, the second part. And just so you know, the size makes up for the lack in the previous. Again, enjoy and please take a moment to leave a review.**_

* * *

 **Boston, MA.**

The street was straight out of a history book with large multilayered brownstones and brick paved streets with gas lanterns that were unused in the day. Wearing blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a Rangers cap pulled low on her head, Abbie adjusted her backpack as she checked the numbers Booth had given her for the house she was looking for. Once she'd found it she looked around to be sure.

It was well maintained with a sizeable grass patch about the size of a postage stamp that was very neatly manicured. A black Chevy Impala was parked at the curb and a high end Mercedes coupe in the driveway. She came to the conclusion that she was in the right place and headed to the front door. Knocking three times she waited for someone to answer. She didn't have to wait long.

A beautiful woman with honey blond hair answered and as soon as she saw Abbie her face fell in confusion, "Jane, why are you knocking on the door?"

"Um, Dr. Isles, right?" Abbie asked, understanding the woman's confusion, "I don't know if Jane ever told you about me, but I'm Abbie Griffin."

She blinked and tipped her head to one side while her eyes squinted slightly, as if she was trying to remember something. Then her eyes widened slightly in surprise. "May I see your hands please?"

It was an odd request, but she complied. Maura gracefully took Abbie's hand into hers, gently running her index finger through the palm. She then flipped Abbie's hand and did the same thing across the back. She looked up and scrutinized the attorney's features, "It's amazing how much you favor her."

Abbie nodded as she remembered when she'd first met Jane, "Yeah I get that. Stunned the blazes out of me too."

Letting go of her hands, Maura stepped in and held the door out of politeness, her look had turned oddly pleasant, in an awkward way. "Won't you come in?"

"Thanks." Abbie walked into the tastefully decorated home and looked around. "This is a nice home Dr. Isles."

Maura shut the door and smiled simply bursting with joy at being able to say her next words, "Actually it's Dr. Rizzoli, but you may call me Maura."

Abbie looked back at her, "Rizzoli?"

The doctor held up her hand to display the bright gold band that wrapped around her ring finger and smiled proudly, "We just got back from our honeymoon in Marseilles, France."

Abbie smiled, "That's really nice."

Maura shook her shoulders at the memories, "It certainly was. Jane should actually be in the courtyard." She led the way in through the spacious living room and through the kitchen to the back door.

"Jane, you have a guest." She said and held an indicating hand to her wife.

Abbie nodded and quietly stepped outside and stopped with a raised brow at the sight before her. A giant black motorcycle was leaning to one side on a large tarp with a dish pan underneath it catching oil. A hand full of boxes were stacked haphazardly to one side next to quarts of oil.

"Maur, I'm just a little busy here," Jane grunted from behind the bike, "It's the frickin' frackin' plugs don't want to come-" _**snap**_ , "Shit!" There was a loud clang on the ground and some more grumbling, "The last friggin time I don't buy Genuine parts. God, why the hell didn't I listen to Kate? It's not like she hasn't gone through this, I mean damn." Jane got on her feet and looked at the person standing next to her wife.

Jane paused in surprise, "Ms. Carmichael." She pulled a rag out of her back pocket and tried to wipe her hands, but only smeared more oil around. She sighed and gave up, "Sorry, I...um, I-"

"No it's okay," Abbie held up a hand to stop the detective from making a fuss, "It's not like you knew I was coming."

Jane dropped the rag on the tarp and nodded in agreement, "Right… Okay. um, so what can I do for you?"

Abbie opened her mouth to say something but paused as she looked at Maura, "Um, Booth told me about not wanting Brennan to know so…"

Jane stared at her, trying to figure out her meaning and as she looked at Maura it clicked, "Oh no! Maura knows. I don't keep secrets from her. Ever."

"Okay," Abbie said nervously, "Well. Booth came to see me about two weeks ago and he gave me a briefing on your case."

Jane found a fresh rag in a box and wiped her hands, "Yeah well, it's more Beckett's case then mine since it started with her mother."

"I would have gone to see her, but…" Abbie's voice trailed off.

Giving the AUSA her full attention, Jane sat down on the seat of the hog and cupped her hands, "But what?"

Abbie cleared her mind and straightened, "But, I wanted to meet you."

Jane smiled slightly at her doppelganger's words, "I know what you mean."

Maura kept looking back and forth between them and to Abbie it was just odd. Jane's smile widened in understanding.

"You'll have to excuse my wife. Like Brennan, she's a scientist and she's probably cataloguing our similarities and differences for some really boringly scientific study on doubles or something."

"Actually I'm just trying to tell you apart." Maura said, "I can see where Ms. Griffin's ancestry is more norse than your mediterranean, but I'm trying to find a distinct difference that sets you apart."

"Maur," Jane said, "I have scars. I doubt she does."

"Actually, you'd be wrong," Abbie said and held up her right arm and pointed to a thin scar that ran from her wrist to her elbow, "I got this showing off my track skills to some friends, tried to jump a park bench like a hurdle but I tripped and cut it on a piece of glass."

Abbie watched as Jane rubbed the outside of her palms. "I wish I'd gotten mine like that."

A moment of silence passed between them before Jane clapped her hands together.

"Well, I need to get this done in case I need to get more parts." She looked up at her wife, "Hey honey, can you bring us a drink."

Maura nodded, "If you promise not to come inside covered in," she waved a finger leisurely, "that."

Jane snorted, "Not everyone can rebuild a Kawasaki Cafe Racer without getting so much as trace elements on her clothes. Harleys are dirty, baby, and you like it like that."

She put her hands on her hips in indignation, "I most certainly do not! I like it much better when it's clean and shiny." She walked into the house and shut the door, leaving Jane to chuckle.

Abbie shook her head in bewilderment, "You two seem so different."

Picking up the ratchet she'd dropped and a screwdriver, Jane started prying the broken spark plug out of the socket. "Yeah, we really are, but I just… I'll love her until the day I die."

Abbie closed her eyes and remembered when she'd felt that way about John. "From someone who's been married for fifteen years,"

Jane looked up at her, her pony tail slung over one shoulder from bending over.

"Don't hold back. Love her like tomorrow isn't coming."

There was some hurt in Abbie's eyes that Jane wasn't sure about, but the regret said that Abbie's marriage wasn't what it used to be. She nodded to her doppelganger and smiled, "Thanks, I've been told that before, but it's always nice to hear it again."

Changing the subject, Abbie held a hand up towards the bike., "So is this what you do for fun?"

Jane shook her head as she started prying harder, "No." She said through clenched teeth, "This is what I do to make sure I have fun later."

Maura walked out of the house carrying two bottles of water, seeing Jane struggling she gave both bottles to Abbie and held her hand out to Jane expectantly.

Jane's instinct had always been to shy away from help, especially with an audience present, but years of arguing with Maura and recently, understanding Maura far better than she ever did, she knew that Maura would probably have an easier way to fix her problem. Sighing, Jane held up the ratchet and screwdriver.

Taking them both in her hands, Maura separated the socket from the ratchet and handed her wife back the tool before taking the screwdriver, sticking it through the drive hole and kneeling on the ground, she lightly banged the handle on the ground shoving the tip of the driver and the broken plug out of the top of the socket. She then handed both tools back to Jane and wiped her hands on a clean rag before going back into the house.

Jane picked up the broken plug and smiled, "Thanks, baby."

She reattached the socket to the driver and walked back to the other side of the bike.

"So, what were you saying about having fun?" Abbie said as she walked around to see what Jane was doing.

Jane slipped the socket over the other end of the broken plug and, checking to make sure the ratchet was set right she wrenched on the plug until it came loose, "I love riding almost as much as I love Maura. Kate bought this for me for Christmas last year after introducing me to riding a few years ago. Ever since I sat on this baby, I've been hooked and Maura was too. We ride everywhere whenever we can. I mean we do cultural things together like going to the opera and seeing a play every now and then. We do yoga together and play baseball, but this is the one thing that we both just like to go do for no reason other than it's there."

She dropped the broken plug into a small metal can of parts and sighed, "Only thing is, I prefer to do my own maintenance as kind of a way to show the bike that I love it, if that makes any sense. But, because I'd just sunk a bunch of money into my wedding and the rings and the caterer and other things, I tried to save a few pennies by buying aftermarket parts for it and it's been a nightmare ever since. So, I'm re-doing the tune up with Genuine Harley parts, which are made for this bike, and I'm finding out that the aftermarket parts don't want to come off." She pulled out a spark plug that had the Bar and Shield etched in it and put a small dab of silver from a tube on it, "Anti Seize means I'll be able to change the plugs again next winter without all of this nightmare."

Abbie listened to the detective talk about her bike like it was an old friend. She listened to Jane telling her all about her love of riding, her friendship with Beckett and her deep true love of Maura. In truth, she was wrapped in every word of the life led by this woman who looked so much like her as the Boston cop did a tune up on her Harley and replaced some of the wear items that had gone bad. She'd finally pulled off the oil filter and put a new one on and replaced the drain cap from the oil pan before putting new oil in it. After that, she emptied the dish tub into the bottles carefully.

"So that should be it." Jane said as she looked around at the pile of empty boxes and the one gallon can full of bad parts. "Sorry for putting those bad parts on you, if you can forgive me. I'll never do it again." She whispered to the bike before she wiped her hands and sat down on the seat. She turned the fuel valve on under the tank and switched on the ignition, the bike's lights came on and Abbie heard a small whine for a second.

"Okay, here we go," Jane said and pressed the starter button. The bike turned over twice and rumbled to life, it's long pipes unbaffled and echoing the throaty rumble around the courtyard and beyond, Jane smiled as she felt the vibrations of the idle, knowing that the misfire and the idling problems were fixed, "Yeah baby." She pulled back on the throttle a few hairs and the engine rose up enough to clearly hear the motors "smooth" repetitions.

Abbie smiled as Jane's grin became infectious. Maura came out of the house with a dark and heated look in her eyes. Jane caught her wife's eye and revved it once before shutting it off.

"You fixed it!" Maura said excitedly.

Jane gave her wife a serious look, "Like I said, that's the last time I don't use Genuine parts."

Maura sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, "I can't say I disagree."

Jane locked the fork to the left and shut off the fuel before throwing the empty boxes in the recycling tote and moving her parts can to the trash. She then wiped her hands and headed towards the back door to go take a shower. Maura held up a purple latex gloved hand, "Oh no you don't."

Jane stopped, "Baby I can't clean up with the hose, I'll get oil in the grass."

Maura held up a garbage bag and frowned, "Strip."

Jane turned her head, "Maura?"

"Jane you are not coming in this house covered in that so take your clothes off here and don't touch anything inside."

Jane groaned, "You just want to show me off to the neighbors."

"Jane, I'd like to be the only one who sees you in your underwear, but I'd rather keep this house in suitable condition to sell." Maura said firmly. "Now take your clothes off and I'll have Alexis take them to the industrial washer at the morgue."

Abbie watched Jane bitch and grumble about never wearing clothes from the dead washer, but she also watched Jane comply as she kicked off her shoes and shucked her jeans. Maura took them and carefully dropped them into the bag. Jane grumbled and pulled her shirt over her head and wiped her arms and hands off with it before dropping it into the bag.

"Socks too." Maura said.

Jane eyed her meanly, but complied by pulling the left off then the right and dropping them in the bag.

Abbie stared unabashedly at Jane, her eyes torn between the exceptionally well developed musculature of her back to the massive scar on the right side of lower spine. Nearly four inches in diameter it was all rough and was a mix between the detective's heavily tanned skin tone and white flesh that had lost pigmentation.

Jane's threat detection picked up the lack of Abbie's movements and she looked over her shoulder. Abbie was standing, open mouthed. Jane snapped her fingers to break the trance. "Yo."

Abbie looked up and closed her mouth, "I'm sorry, I, I just."

"Yeah, I'm scarred," Jane said knowingly. "You should have seen my OB's face the first time she had me strip. C'mon. I'm outside in my underwear and I'm a cop, this isn't good."

Abbie nodded and tried not to watch Jane's muscles move. The woman wasn't much larger than her, but there was virtually no fat on her at all, just smooth shapely muscle groups. It made her wonder if she could do that.

Maura waited for Abbie to follow Jane in before she told Jane to wash her arms and face in the kitchen sink before going into the bathroom.

"So what's the deal on the Beckett case?" Jane asked as she soaped up her arms.

Abbie turned away and sat down on one of the island stools. "Well for starters, how did you get involved in this?"

Jane started rubbing a washrag over her arms and the oil started running into the sink. "Kate is my partner, my best friend and we're so close that we're like twins. When I went to the NYPD I briefly looked into it and when Kate caught me, she told me everything that had happened and made me swear not to pursue the case. She was afraid that I'd get killed like everyone else and that it would bring the so called Dragon on her, Rick, and Alexis. So, I let it go. When me and Maura-"

"Maura and I." Maura corrected.

Jane smirked at her and rinsed her arms."-got together and I moved in with her, he sent a merc to our place to get the file and kill us both. So, he had Maura tied up when I came home. I had to kill him and later we found out that the bad guy felt threatened by me being Kate's partner."

Abbie nodded as she recalled Booth's recounting of the attacks, "This was before the Boston attack?"

Something in Maura and Jane's eyes shifted, "Yeah." Jane said, "Boston is when Kate and I knew we were going to bring him down, no matter what it cost." Jane towelled her hands off and pulled Maura close to her. "Baby, may I?"

Maura didn't like it, not one bit. She wasn't as comfortable with her scars as Jane was. In fact, it had taken her three glasses of wine before she had felt comfortable enough to take off her wedding veil and dance with her wife in the strapless wedding dress. Maur fortified herself and nodded, turning her back to Abbie. Jane kissed her love and gently pulled down the shoulder of the loose shirt her wife was wearing, "When he did this, that's when I knew."

Abbie gasped at the two puckered scars that marked where the doctor had been shot. Jane pulled the shirt back up and kissed her wife again.

"I almost lost her because of that son-of-a-bitch." Jane said. "Maura took two shielding Rick's daughter. Alexis shot the hitman dead with Agent Dean's gun after he was killed. That's something that will always be with her and that's when Kate knew we had to stop him. It wasn't about justice for her mother anymore, it was about survival and stopping that monster from doing this to anyone else."

"My God." Abbie gasped, "How old was she?"

"Nineteen" Maura replied. "Alexis was nineteen years old."

"Gabriel dean was a good man and a good friend of mine. That merc gunned him down and tried to kill my wife and my niece. She shouldn't have had to kill him, but if she hadn't, I would have, and that was if I could have gotten to him before Kate did." Jane looked straight into Abbie's eyes, "He was specifically hired by this guy to take out our family."

"Can you prove this?" Abbie asked.

"Everything we have is with Booth, including a financial network pulled by a friend of mine that I can't tell you about, but it's enough to tell you that he's one of the best out there at computers and he has a system that doesn't stop at firewalls or whatever defenses computers have." She shivered slightly as the cool air inside the house flushed her skin.

"Tell you what, I'm going to go take a shower and then we can talk all night if you'd like." Jane said rubbing her arms to warm them.

Maura pushed her wife off gently and looked at Abbie, "You're welcome to stay the night here if you'd like."

Abbie nodded in agreement, "I'd like that."

 **Isles Residence,**

Alexis was exhausted as Jordan dropped her off at Jane and Maura's. It had been a long day and all she wanted to do was eat, shower and go to bed, though the first two were optional at this point. She shoved her key in the lock of the main house and knocked before unlocking it, not wanting to walk in on her aunts getting busy on the couch. They were family but sometimes telling her brain that was another matter. Her aunt Jane was gorgeous, aunt Maura was beautiful too but, well... she didn't want to go there because it had taken her a while to get over her first girl-crush. She pushed through the front door and set her book bag down next to the side board and kicked off her shoes. She heard her aunts in the kitchen, but something was odd about Jane's voice, it seemed to pass between her clean annunciated voice with a slight Boston accent to an odd Texas drawl that made no sense. But, then the smell of food caught her and she forgot all about the voices as she headed straight for the kitchen. She walked in and froze solid at what she found.

Convinced she was tired, Alexis rubbed her eyes and peered at them again. Maura was eating with two aunt Janes!

"Um, hi?" She said nervously.

"Hey kiddo, how was work?" Jane asked, at least she thought it was Jane.

"I um, I think something's wrong," Alexis put a hand to her forehead, "I think I'm sick or something."

The Jane next to Maura smirked, "Why are you seeing double or something?"

"Jane!" Maura chided.

"Yeah," Alexis's eyes widened, "I'm sleepwalking, that's it. A hallucination brought on by sleep deprivation."

Jane number one got up and came over to her, "Relax, Alexis, you're fine."

"I am?" the young girl asked.

"Sure are. You're not seeing double, kiddo." Jane assured her, "While you were at work, Maura cloned me."

"Jane!" Maura barked.

Jane number two started chuckling.

"I told you she can't get enough of me." The cop quipped.

Alexis walked over to the other woman and even though she was beat and ready for bed, she still peered closely at the other woman less than a foot away from her, "Can I have one?"

A little weirded out, Abbie leaned away from the girl as Jane started laughing.

"Alexis, your Aunt Jane isn't being truthful." Maura said, "This is Abbie and she's a friend of your Aunt Liv's."

Alexis shook her head, "Okay, tired now, confused, want to go to bed. Can't think anymore." She walked past them and disappeared up the stairs.

"Jane that was mean!" Maura snapped.

"Do you have any idea how friggin times 'Mini-me' has pulled crap on me?" Jane looked over at her double, "Abbie, sweetheart, you are the perfect revenge."

"I don't think I want to know." Abbie said.

Conversation bounced back and forth between the case, and Jane sharing details of her life with Maura. But near ten o'clock, Maura was getting tired.

She put a hand on her wife's shoulder and Jane looked at her.

"Honey, I'm going to head off to bed."

Jane smiled and cupped the doctor's face. "Okay, let me show Abbie to the guest room and I'll come join you."

Maura stopped her with a kiss on the forehead. "No, it's alright. You and Abbie don't have to quit on my account. Just don't stay up too late. I miss you when you're not there."

Jane pulled her wife into a scorchingly hot kiss that had Abbie turning her head away.

Seeing two women kissing like that was one thing, but when one of them looked almost exactly like you, well it was something Abbie had thought about, but wasn't prepared for. Maura pulled away with a smacking of lips and gently ran her thumb over Jane's bottom lip.

" _Je t'aime_." Maura whispered in french. (I love you)

" _Ti amo._ " Jane replied in italian. " _Mia moglie_." (I love you, My wife.)

Maura kissed her softly, wished Abbie a good night and headed upstairs.

Abbie watched her go with a sashay in her hips that Jane couldn't stop watching. Her duplicate's eyes might as well been on fire with this smoky look. Jane blinked and her eyes cleared of most of that desire.

"I swear I don't know what I could have done right to deserve her." Jane muttered.

Abbie felt embarrassed, like she'd interrupted something intimate.

Jane on the other hand turned to her guest and smiled at the pink shades of Abbie's cheeks. "Sorry, we get kind of carried away sometimes."

"My husband and I used to be that way." Abbie said and then thought back. "But, that was a long time ago."

Jane scoffed, "Look at you, I'm 36 and you can't be more than a few minutes older than me."

"I'm 42." She said.

Leaning back in surprise Jane appraised the woman across the table from her. "Wow, you certainly don't look it."

Abbie smiled a one sided smile. "Thanks."

Jane bobbed her head. "Married fifteen years." and whistled low, "I try to picture Maura and I in fifteen years or so every now and again and I just can't imagine us being different. Just older with kids."

Abbie smiled. "Children are fun, tiring, they make you worry, drive you crazy, and make you insanely proud all at the same time."

"So you have kids?" Jane asked.

"Three boys," Abbie said with a smile and a distant look, "Thirteen, eleven, and ten." She looked up at Jane, "I wanted a girl and was going to try again, but the doctors say I can't. Justin, my youngest, almost died while I was giving birth, and I almost died right after so..." Her voice trailed off and she cleared her throat, "But, it's okay, I've got three really great kids."

Jane smiled and leaned against the table on her elbows, "Tell me about 'em. Maura and I are trying to have one and I'd like to hear about yours."

The attorney smiled wide enough to reach her eyes, her boys were her favorite topic. "Well first there's Jeremy. He's the thirteen year old and I swear he's the perfect kid that just doesn't exist. He's smart, responsible, he calls me on my bull, but he's respectful about it. I was blessed with him and ever since he was nine, he's helped me take care of his brothers. Some days I don't know what I'd do without him."

Jane smiled. "Thirteen and he doesn't talk back or drive you crazy with teen hormones."

Abbie shook her head, "None of that. I can't tell you how lucky I got with him. He's the kid everyone wishes they had. Now Jason and Justin," she blew out a huff and rolled her eyes, "those two are trouble when they get together. They argue, they fight, they break things and when they team up, it's Jeremy and I against them."

"Where's your husband?"

Abbie sighed, "John is a Field Agent for Homeland Security and he works a lot. He doesn't get to spend as much time with us as he'd like. Sometimes he gets on these joint task forces and we don't get to see him for days, but when he's home. He's all about making it up to the boys."

Jane heard something in Abbie's voice, a slight hesitation, and with her carefully observant eyes she could see the woman tense up a little.

"That bothers you doesn't it? Him not being around."

Abbie shook her head, "No, he's a good dad and yeah I wish he'd be around more. But, that's what it is. I'm a lawyer, and the US Attorney's Office keeps hours that let me be home. John is an Agent, and like you, he can get called out in an instant."

Abbie sighed and Jane's carefully neutral expression made Abbie want to confide in her.

"This case is a hard one, Jane. The repercussions of what we're dealing with will affect the United States as a whole. And this guy." She took a deep breath, "this guy is dangerous. If I do this, it's not just your family in danger, It's mine too, and Booth's and Beckett's and everyone involved. Mercenaries, gunmen, assassins, this is a real life Tom Clancy, Clive Cussler novel. That doesn't include the fact that my career, the way I support my kids, will be over even if we win. No matter what happens, I'm putting my family in danger."

Jane reached across the table and put her hand over Abbie's, "I know, it's a lot and we have no right to ask you to do this. But, he's announced his candidacy for president. He's way ahead in the polls. One year is all he needs to sit in the White House. A president who's been built by an unknown party and paid for by a vicious cocaine cartel in Columbia. He thinks he's the mastermind, but he's a finger puppet. The Raven is wicked and manipulative and she knows how the system works. I know that she will make him do what she wants and for all intents and purposes, America will belong to her. The freedoms we take for granted won't exist anymore. Hell they barely exist now. Maybe Kate and I could come up with something to screw up his candidacy, but we'd pay with our lives and so would our families. You're our only hope to expose him and put him away for good."

"And what about my family, and Booth's too?"

"Booth already said that he has someone to keep Brennan safe." Jane said. "My family is full of Boston cops that can keep yours safe. But, when it hits the fan, my family is going to a place far away, where I know no one will find them and even if they did, they couldn't get to them. If you let me, your kids can stay with my wife and my niece."

Abbie wanted to believe Jane, but simply put, she just didn't know her well enough to entrust the woman with her children.

"Where would you take them?"

Jane shook her head. "That I can't tell you. It's not that I don't trust you, I just don't know you well enough for that. My wife and my niece are the most important parts of me and I won't take any chances when it comes to their safety. If something happened to Maura..." Jane shook her head and took a deep breath. "Well, let's just say that I'm too highly trained to risk losing control like that."

Every word was like a promise and a threat and it unnerved Abbie a little. Maura was Jane's whole life, and if there was anything that truly convinced Abbie, it was the strength of that conviction; the finality of Jane's words.

"If my kids went with your wife, they'd have the same protection?"

Jane nodded. "They'd be just as safe too. I promise."

Abbie thought about it and although she still didn't know Jane, she did believe that if her kids were with Maura they would've safe.

"Well it's getting late and I've got a lot to think about." Abbie said. "Would you mind showing me that guest room?"

Yawning, Jane agreed with her, "Yeah. I probably shouldn't keep Maura up any longer."

"I thought she went to bed."

"She did." Jane stretched her long body out. "But, she's up there reading some sciencey journal or some long forgotten play written by the boogie woogie tribe of some obscure lost continent or some other really obscure thing that I can never prove exists."

Abbie chuckled as she followed Jane upstairs. As they got to to the next landing. Jane pointed down the hall, "Maura takes up the entire second floor while I only have half of her closet space."

Abbie chuckled slightly as Jane continued up the stairs.

"So Alexis is the last room on the right, the bathroom is on the left and you're right here. Jane said pointing to a room. "The other room is being used for storage while we close on our new house in Roxbury. The bed's comfy and Maura's meticulous about cleanliness so I guarantee the sheets were washed within four days and if you hear a loud scraping or thumping in the kitchen, don't worry about it, their just our pets." Jane guided Abbie into the room and the lawyer found her backpack sitting on the bed.

"Night, Abbie." Jane said and vanished down the stairs.


	5. Chapter 5

_**a little fun, a few bad jokes and then some torture. Enjoy it.**_

* * *

 **Rizzoli Residence,**

 **Beacon Hill, MA.**

As she did on many mornings Angela Rizzoli went over to her newlywed daughters' home to cook them breakfast and get the latest details on their plans to fulfill Jane's promise to Maura about a pregnancy. She'd been disappointed when Jane's doctor had informed them that due to the Marino shooting, it would be unlikely that Jane could carry a child to term safely. Her dreams of her daughter being pregnant were ruined. Maura however, having never suffered an abdominal wound, was perfectly healthy and capable of producing several children despite her age. The fact that Jane''s eggs would be used meant that she'd still get a grandchild from Jane and having Maura give birth brought her even closer into the family.

She pulled up into the driveway and parked behind Maura's Black SL63 AMG that Jane had recently bought tires for… because she burned up the last set at the track in Bridgewater. Honestly, Angela didn't understand why Maura let Jane abuse the beautiful and very expensive Mercedes but Jane had already taken it twice this month. Grabbing the small grocery bag from Whole Foods out of the back of the Prius, Angela was greeted at the gate by A tall, lean figure, dressed in all black with a black irish cabbie hat covering his slowly graying hair. Despite his somewhat thin stature he was immensely intimidating, that is to everyone but Angela Rizzoli. The day she had met him as he stood guard at Maura's door in the hospital, she had him backed up against the wall until he'd told her that it was his job to see to it no one but family and medical personnel went in. His dark handlebar mustache and goatee were trimmed in a way that added a certain menace to his rough appearance, but even his dark, badass biker look wasn't what truly scared others, it was the long jagged scar that ran along his jawline on both of his cheeks.

"Mornin' Mrs. Rizzoli." he said in his thick brogue.

"Kieren," she smiled up at him. "When did you get back to Boston?"

"Late, last night." he said and held the gate open for her, "I just had to run to Memphis and pick up this bugger who jumped bail. He dinna even put up a fight.""

"Well, you be careful," she cautioned him, "We'd miss you around here if something happened to you."

"I ain't goin nowheres so dinna worry none over me." Kieran checked his watch and shook his head, "I'm off to work, lotta folk to convince to keep their day in court."

"You do Boston a great service, Kieran." She replied "I'm very glad that you got away from that Paddy Doyle."

He smiled, "Tis a debt I'll always owe to Jane, 'course she's a much better person to owe then Paddy." He walked towards his Bronco that was parked across the street.

"Oh, Kieran. I almost forgot." Angela rushed down the driveway to him while digging into her shoulder bag. She pulled something that resembled a cinnamon roll mixed with a pie. "I tried my hand at making these last night. Sean loves them, but your a real Irishman so here."

"Is that an Apple Duff?" He smiled at her, "Oh Mrs. Rizzoli, ya dinna have to give me this."

She shrugged, "I thought you might enjoy it, but if you don't, just tell me what it's missing and I'll try to fix it. You know I'm always looking for new recipes."

Kieran chuckled softly and unwrapped the pastry, He bit into it and grinned as he chewed. Once he swallowed it he nodded to her, "It ain't like me mum used to make it but it be delicious. I'd keep this recipe if I were you. But for all of those boys down at the Precinct, use the fillin' from your apple pies. You'll sell out before they cool."

She nodded as he bit into it again and headed for his truck, "Janie or Maura up yet?"

"Don't know." He said with a laugh as he climbed into the black truck, "Last time I went inside in the mornin' I interrupted the ol' rock n' roll in the kitchen so no more mornin' visits for me without an OK from Jane."

Angela shook her head, "They're like rabbits."

He laughed as he started the truck and drove away while munching on the pastry.

She went back through the gate and latched it before sliding her key into the lock, but was completely stunned by the sight in the kitchen. Jane was standing in a comfortable pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt, her hair pulled back into a bun and some light makeup on… and she was cooking… pancakes and bacon... without a burning smell or the smoke alarm going off.

Too stunned to move Angela watched as she used the spatula, correctly, and pulled the flapjacks off the skillet with one hand and the other poured the raw batter to replace the ones she'd taken. it was all entirely too coordinated and domestic for her daughter and Angela nearly dropped the bag as she watched.

"That's amazing," Alexis said from a plate full of food at the island, "Did you have to take a cooking course to learn how to do that?"

"Not really," She replied with a slight southern drawl, "I've got three kids and a husband, I learned right quick how to multitask.""

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli!" Angela shouted to the woman at the stove.

Alexis turned wide eyed at the Rizzoli matriarch. "Nonna! It's not-."

Footfalls stomped from upstairs as if someone was running through the second floor and down the stairs. Jane burst out from the stairwell dressed in her workout clothes and at the sight of two of her daughter, Angela did drop the bag in shock.

The copy looked nervous as she stared at the eldest Rizzoli, "Um, hi?"

"What..?" Angela gasped faintly.

Jane shook her head and patted the copy on the shoulder, "Hey Ma, is there something you forgot to tell me here?"

"Whah, Jane who is that?!" Angela said pointing a finger at Abbie.

"That was my question. How long were you and Pop married again?"

Her mother clutched her hand at her chest and started breathing heavily, seconds away from fainting, or worse and Jane knew the joke was over.

"Whoa there, Ma." She rushed to her mother's side. "Breathe, okay? I was kidding. Listen, Ma, that's Abbie and she's a friend of Liv's."

"Jane," She gasped, "Why does she look just like you?"

"I don't know." She said but smiled soothingly to her mother, "But it's kinda cool."

Angela bristled, "I swear to God himself, If your father cheated on-"

"MA!" Jane interrupted, "Abbie and I have two entirely different sets of parents. Trust me, we went over all of that last night when she came by. We''re Italians, she's Scottish and she knows exactly who her parents are."

The copy nodded, "My mother's name is Haley and my father was Jacob Carmichael. I was born outside of Dallas Texas six years before you gave birth to Jane. My name is Abigail Griffin, but you can call me Abbie."

* * *

"So that was how we met." Abbie finished, "I didn't say it, but my co-counsel's face was priceless as he kept looking at us."

Angela and Maura laughed lightly as Abbie turned to her doppelganger, "So Booth said that you always have these funny stories going around whenever you and your family get together."

"Oh you want to hear a funny story?" Jane started giggling to herself, "I got one for you, Maura and I got stuck in a game show.""

"Jane." Maura chided. "That wasn't funny.""

Her wife started laughing harder at her, "The hell it wasn't."

"How do you get stuck in a game show?" Abbie asked incredulously.

"Okay. So In New York, there's this guy who drives a cab for a TV show. His name is Ben Bailey and the show is called The Cash Cab. I took Maura to the theatre to see Les Miserables, but because I called the car service, they messed up and the car went to the Manhattan megaplex instead of the Manhattan theater."

"Oh no." Angela said, "Janie what happened?"

"Well," She said as she sipped her coffee, "the cab is just a plain yellow minivan. So I stick my arm out and it pulls up and we get in.

 _"Where to ladies?" The driver asked gruffly._

 _Jane eyed him carefully. "Tamaro Tower, West Central."_

 _He nodded, but something about his behavior bothered Jane and she looked at Maura. Her love smiled sweetly, "I had a wonderful time. Thank you Jane."_

 _Slightly distracted by her girlfriends smile she didn't see the driver lean back and push a button on the console._

 _All of a sudden the roof of the minivan lit up with multicolored panels._

 _Maura jumped slightly and Jane grabbed her clutch for her gun but stopped as she recognized the lights and music._

 _"Jane?" Maura said nervously as the driver smiled and laughed._

 _Jane collapsed into her seat and groaned. "Oh eat me. We're in the Cash Cab."_

 _Maura glanced back and forth between her partly annoyed girlfriend and the smiling driver._

 _"What's the cash cab?" Maura said._

 _"It's a game show, Maur." They pulled up to the light and Jane waved a hand at the driver. "Ben, you want to explain it to my girlfriend."_

 _Ben Bailey looked into the mirror at them. "So here's how it works. I ask you a series of questions of increasing difficulty for increasing value and if you answer them right you win cold hard cash, but if you answer wrong three times I've got to kick you out." He looked over his shoulder, "Wanna play?"_

 _Jane snickered as Maura shook her shoulders and smiled. "Sounds like fun."_

 _Adjusting her seat back, Jane rested her forehead on her fingertips casually and grinned at the impending slaughter. "Hey Ben, what's the highest amount you can win?"_

 **Duncannon, PA.**

TO anyone who drove by it looked like an old house in the middle of mountainous. The windows were boarded up, the porch was collapsing and the front door was hard to open. But Dembe had no issues as he flexed his large muscles and jerked the door nearly off it's hinges. Red Reddington guided his companion up the failing stairs which were much sturdier than they appeared. He guided her into the dilapidated structure and she had a sudden sense of foreboding. Red sensed this from her and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Relax Lizzy." He said in a jovial voice, "The house is in better condition than it appears."

Since it had to do with Red, Elizabeth Keen knew there was more to the old house's appearance than what she could see. "What is this place?"

"A house of Pain as it were." He said, for once without hedging too much, "We're just here to check on a side project of mine."

She glared at him, "You don't have side projects. You only have other angles."

"How very suspicious of you." He said approvingly, "Sappho Grenshaw is an information extractor I put on a special case that is yet unsolved. Interestingly enough the NYPD nor the FBI have been able to break the case."

He lead her into the basement where Dembe was pulling open a large metal cellar door. "Think of it as a start up cost. I need information to pass onto a client who can open certain doors for me."

Dembe slid back a curtain to reveal a short, round, balding, black haired man in chemical gear standing on a step bench in front of a naked man dangling from the floor truss overhead.

"Sappho!" Red smiled. "I see you found him."

The short man nodded with a sick grin, his face barely visible behind a blood soaked face shield. "Raymond, did you bring them?"

Dembe produced a paper bag and Red took it, "Straight from the Cafe Dumond. New Orleans finest begets."

THe squat man jumped off the bench and gleefully rushed in front of red, peeling off the chemical gloves, he took the bag and shoved the face shield up over his head before shoving a pudgy hand into the bag and pulling out a powdered sugar covered beget and unceremoniously shoving it in his mouth.

Lizzy thought she was going to be sick as blood dripped off the shield and onto his shirt as he ate.

"Well Red," he said with a full mouth, "You were right, He's part of that Colombian crew that was in New York a few months back. He's the one who liked to carve them up."

"Did he give you anything good before he died?" red asked.

"Oh he's not dead, he just passed out with a fish hook in his wiener. Shame really, I was about to yank it out when he went out."

"That is disgusting." Lizzy said as Sappho shoved another beget into his maw.

"Not really, babe." He said with his mouth full, "the size was disgusting, trust me. He'd be no fun to a girl like you." Sapho raised his white powder covered pinkie and wiggled it.

"Manners, my friend." Red chided. "Believe me, she's not one you want to joke with."

The disgusting little troll eyed her from her dress shoes, nice suit that did little to hide her curves, all the way to her short dark hair. "She looks like she's a fun little tryst."

"Where do you find these people?" She said to Red and pulled her gun out, "I'll bet no one would miss him."

"Whoa there." Sappho said and clutched the bag to his chest protectively.

"Put it away Lizzy." Red said like a parent to his child, "He's not worth dirtying a bullet over."

"Hey!" He barked

"He is however in the middle of a report so I'd like to finish, if you please."

Lizzy glared at him but stuffed her Glock in the back of her pants.

Red turned from her back to him, "Enough games, Sappho. What did you learn?"

He sighed and set the bag down on the bench, "He says everyone calls her Mistress except for a few who call her Ravenna. She's an American who came out of nowhere, seduced then married Escalante in Bogota. Couple years later she kills him and takes over his Cartel. She's got a garden in the courtyard of her Villa that's full of white roses. She tends to feed her enemies into a wood chipper that blows the blood and guts onto the roses. According to dickless here, if you get one of these it's a message to put your affairs in order because she's coming to kill you."

"The Blood Rose Killer." Lizzy said.

"That's right." Sappho sat on the bench, "Several prominent Financiers in Manhattan got some of these and this numb nuts here helped kill them. He also assisted her right hand man torture and kill a few members of Law Enforcement before setting them on fire."

"The Arsonist." She said.

"This right hand man, who is he?" Red asked.

"His name is Romeo, a big ass Latino he described as a bodybuilder. He likes fire, he likes brutality and he's a complete sociopath and wherever Ravenna is, he's never far behind. Romeo has a likeness for young women, not too young but he likes them between sixteen or so and twentyish. Ravenna on the other hand has no preference, she likes them all, young and old, boys and girls. But she has a nasty tendency of brutally murdering anyone who doesn't satisfy her. Also, fish hook man here said that she blows her wad at screams."

Red smiled falsely, "How charming."

"What about the Butcher?" Lizzy piped in.

"Ah, that's this blond half mexican named Mango." Sappho heard the man groan, "Mango has a fixation with cutting. He draws it out real slow and lots of pain, he also likes to use plain old table salt to make the wounds burn. Something that Romeo has become fascinated with and Ravenna likes because of the screams."

"THis Ravenna, What's her deal?" Lizzy asked.

"Good question." Sappho said before shoving a body part of some kind into the man's mouth. "He didn't know. She's taking over Cartels in Colombia by force or getting the Government to burn them down. Here she seemed to be shutting down competition but here is the most worrisome thing he had to say. Ravenna is hooked in to the US Government somehow. She's the reason Border Patrol and the Coast Guard are so hell bent on cutting off the drug trade from the gulf and Mexico. SHe's got power and influence on her side. Those who work with her are getting rich. Those who go against her are getting dead. And she's got something big in the works but this clown doesn't know what."

'Good work, Sappho." Red said, "See if he'll give up another one of his associates. Someone has to know what her plans are."

Sappho nodded as he dug into the bag again. "Just as soon as my little piece of bait wakes up."

Red nodded and walked out, guiding Lizzy out first. She waited until they were back outside, "Exactly what does this have to do with the Cabal?"

"I'm not certain that it does, however, no stone unturned." He said as Dembe held the door of the Mercedes for her.

"Do you have to bring me to these things?" She snipped at him.

Red sat down next to her, "I would have asked you to wait in the car but would you have?"

She sighed and straightened, "No."

"Then there you have it." he said as Dembe handed Red the phone. "Do you have anything for me?... I understand the difficulty which is why I brought it to you... I think that can be arranged... I'll be in touch." He slapped the phone closed and looked over at Lizzy, "Have you ever been to London?"


	6. Chapter 6

_**One more chapter until we start to get to the action, Avengers style. Meanwhile...**_

 _ **Another old Favorite Character.**_

* * *

 **US Attorney's Office,**

 **Washington DC.**

 **One week later.**

After adding the conviction of her latest case to her files, Abbie dropped it in her assistant's tray so she could pass it on to the file clerks. As she pulled open the next trial she was scheduled to attend. She heard a knock on her door. She looked up to see one of her good friends from Capital Crimes.

"Hey, Alex." She said with a smile. "I heard you won."

"I heard you did too." The tall blonde said as she walked in.

Though their friendship started off shaky almost fifteen years ago, since she came to the Beltway, Alexandra Cabot had become something of Abbie's friend and confidante. She knew about Alex's big secret and Alex knew about John's fidelity issues. It also helped that neither one of them liked Kim Greylek. The DOJ's Human Rights Attorney and the woman they were both certain John had slept with.

"So what did you get?" Alex asked.

"Life times two with no parole. I just got word from the Bureau of Prisons that my sonofabitch is heading down to USP Atlanta," Abbie said as Ashley came in with a stack of files. "How'd you do?"

Ashley started exchanging files with her boss and Abbie handed her a packet to be mailed out.

"Death by lethal injection." Alex said coldly. "But the Bureau did give him to Texas so he's getting the Express Lane."

Abbie looked up at her. The "express lane" was a term used by lawyers everywhere to identify the Texas Legislation that allowed a speedy execution for particularly heinous criminals who've committed unspeakable atrocities. Alex's case was a hard one and that butcher deserved to be executed in the electric chair on national television.

Abbie smiled at her friend. "God bless Texas."

Though the case was heinous beyond even her standards, Alex smiled back. "Seven years. Though I expect his attorney to file due process motions. I'm not looking forward to that mess."

Abbie leaned back in her chair, "If you can, push it over onto the Texas High Court. Given the facts on your case and the nature of the murders, the High Court will be very unsympathetic to pleas of the express lane being a violation of due process."

Nodding Alex thanked her with her eyes, "That's why I come to you."

Ashley waited patiently for her boss to address her, though she shifted uncomfortably at talk of the express lane. Three years ago, Abbie's boss Charles Bellamy had sent her to Yale for a student debate on the morality of the express lane and the death penalty. Because Ashley had some unusual views about death that she wasn't afraid to voice, Abbie had hired the young girl the day she graduated. Something that surprised Charlie to no end.

Ashley Mitchell was pro-choice, pro gun, but against the death penalty and detested the express lane. Charlie was so dumbfounded that Abbie had to explain to both the young woman and her boss that with the responsibility she carried, she wanted someone who would challenge her beliefs and stand up when they felt she was wrong.

Once the young Attorney understood the rules, that she had to argue specific reasons pertaining to the case, Abbie had found her to be an immense asset to her office. Ashley got to see, understand, and help try cases in the federal court system in a way that would be years in the making as a junior associate at a lawfirm.

Despite never wanting to be one, Abbie had become Ashley's mentor so to speak, not unlike how she was taught by Jack McCoy in New York. Through hard cases and getting right into it.

Seeing an opportunity, Ashley pulled out her notepad, "You have no meetings today until the plea meeting at three. Did you want me to run out?"

Abbie looked at her friend. "Alex, I have something I wanted to ask you about. You have any meetings today?"

Shaking her head, Alex adjusted the thin frames of her glasses, "Nope. I just finished up here and am heading back to the Justice Department this afternoon."

"You want to come have lunch." She asked.

"You buying?" Alex challenged.

"If you don't mind eating at the Capitol Coney." She grinned.

She could have sworn Alex gagged at the mention of that restaurant. "I'll spring for you and Ms. Mitchell if you promise not to mention that place again in my presence."

"Okay." Abbie laughed. "I promise I won't mention it again.." Her smile widened. "Until next time I offer."

Groaning and putting a hand on her tailored suit covered stomach, Alex shuttered. "I don't understand how you can eat there."

Her assistant covered her mouth to hide her giggles as Abbie smirked in an odd way. "Hey, I told you to stay away from the sea food."

"And that's why we're going to Piccadilly Café." Alex said.

Unable to contain her laughter, Ashley spun around and rushed out of the office trying not to embarrass her boss.

* * *

Sitting at an outside table at the café, Alex shook her head as Ashley disappeared around a corner with her DC cop boyfriend leaving his partner chuckling as he ordered lunch.

"And she just runs off." Alex said and looked at the brunette.

Abbie waved a hand as she cut into the Monte Cristo in front of her. "She's kind of turning into a badge bunny with a law degree. But in her defense, Matt takes care of her and even though you might not appreciate it, he looks good without his shirt on."

"Abbie," Alex lowered her voice and picked at her salad, "You look good without your shirt on, he's just a handsome guy with a gun."

Snorting at her, Abbie shoved a fork full of the sandwich in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed. "That's because you've never seen me without my bra on. Believe me, my sons wrecked my chest."

"I thought you were going to get them fixed." Alex commented.

"I did." Abbie groaned and swallowed. "And the payments are killing me. I spent as much on these babies as I did on my car."

Alex frowned as she looked over Abbie's dress shirt. "You didn't go bigger?"

"Hell no." She stabbed her salad. "I had bigger when I was nursing, no thanks. I like the body I was given."

"I'll bet you do," Alex said with a hand indicating her friend. "Your exactly the same size as the day I met you when I took over SVU."

Abbie shrugged and took another bite.

Leaning back in the metal chair, Alex smiled and shook her head. "How in the hell you can be so thin and eat the way you do is still a mystery. How do you do it?"

"Good genes." Abbie said out of the corner of her mouth and continued chewing.

"It's so not fair." Alex huffed, "If I ate the way you do I'd be as big as that car in a week."

She set her fork down and swallowed. "I've got three boys. All of them are in baseball, Jason and Justin just signed up for basketball. John's not home as much. Trust me, I'm shooting hoops, running bases, pitching, batting, all while having to do the normal things like running them to and from games, cleaning the house, doing laundry, cooking meals, doing homework, not to mention," She started ticking of fingers as she listed her things to do all while smiling, "grocery shopping, dropping off and picking up the dry cleaning, going to the bank, the post office, doctors appointments, last week I did the school shopping, Running the boys to their friends houses. All of that while buried under a hell of a caseload. It never ends."

"And all I do is run around to political, social and financial parties" Alex said regretfully.

"Hey now."Abbie interrupted. "Alex, it's just our lives. I'm a mom and all of that just comes with the territory. Besides, I have the advantage of knowing my kids will grow up. Those children you call politicians will _never_ grow up."

Alex laughed and Abbie grinned at her before returning to devouring the sandwich.

"So what did you want to ask me about?"

Abbie set her fork down again and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "A couple of months ago, I went to New York for a case... And while I was there, I met someone."

Alex's eyes felt like they were going to fall out of her head, "Abbie, don't tell me that you had an affair!"

"What? No!" Abbie practically fell out of her chair at the word. "I met a detective who looks just like me!"

Suddenly Alex's mood changed from regal light hearted disbelief to a bitter sneer and her eyes narrowed. "Jane." The name was spoken like a curse. "You met Jane Rizzoli."

"You know her." Abbie said in surprise.

"Believe me, some days I wish I didn't." Alex said coldly.

Her voice was hostile and it set Abbie back. "That's a lot of nasty coming from you."

"Yes well she's not one of my favorite people." She said and stabbed at a piece of her salad.

"Why, what happened?" Abbie asked.

Alex waved a waiter over, as soon as he was in earshot she called out, "A house merlot, preferably good."

He nodded and went inside.

"Alex." Abbie didn't like the look on her friend's face.

"Jane Rizzoli stuck her nose into my relationship. She came to New York all broken up about her precious Maura being with some guy when she came out of the closet to her." Alex curled her lip. "I know that we had our problems, but I sure as hell didn't need her getting into my face about my relationship when she was just the queen of hypocrisy. Then as if God smiled on her, her Maura comes back and tells her that she's in love with her and they have a beautiful relationship, and a nice wedding and everything she ever asked for. Meanwhile, my relationship falls apart when my detective leaves me because I can't do what Jane did and make it public. and where does Olivia go after she breaks up with me, straight to Jane's condo."

"Alex!" Abbie shouted. "Hey, you're putting it all out there right now."

Alex closed her mouth as abject horror and embarrassment filled her.

"Alex, I'm sorry." Abbie gripped her hands. "I didn't know that this was so sensitive to you."

The waiter came over and set the glass down before carefully retreating.

Alex sniffed loudly as she tried to wrangle her emotions. It still hurt so badly.

"Darlin'." Abbie tried again, letting out her Texas accent deliberately. "Whadaya hangin' out with me knowin' that I'm a spittin' image a her."

She took a large gulp of her wine and sniffled again, "Because I met you first, Abbie, and I like spending time with you. You know about me, you don't judge, and you accept it. I have someone I don't have to hide from."

"Ya didn't have ta hide it from Elliot, or Jane, or her wife." Abbie said. "Didn't ya trust 'em to keep it quiet?"

"Abbie, I tried." Alex growled. "I helped Jane pick out her engagement ring. I just don't like her and yes, it's confusing sometimes why I like you and despise her. I couldn't tell you why."

The reality struck her hard, _it's because you're jealous._ Abbie never thought she'd see such a powerful emotion get a hold of Alex. There was a reason they called her the Ice Princess at the Justice Department. Alex was forever emotionally hidden behind a cold unfeeling mask though Abbie knew how emotional her friend was behind that stoic face.

"I have a bad case coming." Abbie said. "And I need to know if I can trust her."

Grinding her teeth Alex forced her face into absolute stillness. "You can rely on her doing what she thinks is best. Good or bad, Jane makes up her mind and follows through."

"If you had a child." Abbie asked carefully, "would you trust her to keep your baby safe?"

The question shocked Alex. Abby knew full well that she'd probably never had a child. But Abbie had a different belief system than she did. Her friend's whole life centered around her sons and naturally she judged her choices against that.

She wanted to tell her no. That Jane Rizzoli was a nosy bitch, but she knew that for Abbie to ask the case must be important. Important enough for her to set aside her grudge and think about it objectively.

"Abbie," Alex said begrudgingly. "As much as I resent Jane Rizzoli, if she promised to keep your children safe, she'll keep that promise or she'll die trying."


	7. Chapter 7

_**Hot off the press with no Beta due to a last minute rewrite. Hope you enjoy. CDPhan, your second half of your request is at the bottom, sorry if i didn't get her quite right, she's not a character i'm very familiar with but i did what i could.**_

* * *

 **The Pour House Pub.**

 **New York City, NY.**

Booth sat in the far corner of a bar in lower Manhattan that he hadn't been to in years but it was a quiet place where he knew he could get privacy. Dressed in jeans and a gray hoodie, he looked like anyone else you might find in a bar. But that was the point as he waited for an old friend from his military days. Fortunately he didn't have to wait long.

He watched his old friend come in with a tall, leggy, and gorgeous woman right behind him. He made no move to greet his friend as Weller stepped up to the bar and ordered them a couple of beers. But he did watch the woman. Easily five, nine and probably near 120 pounds, she was lean, athletic, wore no make-up, and was dressed in a manner that oddly reminded him of Rizzoli. Black slacks, a white wife beater under a plain black low cut t-shirt, with a black leather jacket to hide the gun on her hip. Her jet black hair was cropped to her chin and her green eyes carefully gauged the room for threats.

Special Agent Kurt Weller was similarly dressed in Jeans, t shirt and his own leather jacket. Tall, with close clipped reddish brown hair, a muscular build and his ever present clipper cut beard, one would never guess that the man was with the FBI, but then again, that was the point. Weller was a lead agent of the Critical Incident Response Group, the SWAT team of the FBI and his unit had a virtual blank check when it came to resources and the usual regulations on appearance didn't apply to him or his team because of their need to go undercover at a moment's notice. He had an integrity few could imagine and like Booth, he couldn't be bought at any price. But most importantly, Weller could keep a secret.

After determining that the bar was clear, Weller stood up and carried his beer to Booth's table. Weller allowed the woman to slide in first before he sat down.

"You didn't mention bringing a friend when you called, Kurt." Booth said eying her suspiciously.

"Yeah, well you sure know how to make my life interesting, Seeley." Weller leaned his elbows on the table, "I gave Patterson that drive you handed me and had her quietly trace it all down for you. The problem was your data tied directly to my case."

Booth blinked at Weller, his blood freezing in his veins. Their only real defense against Bracken right now was secrecy, "How Directly?"

"We have an unusual information source that's proving to be very reliable,"

"Kurt," Booth said cautiously, "I need to know, the guy were going after is very dangerous and won't hesitate to wipe out everyone involved in this case and their families to stop it. So I really, really need to know this source."

"Seeley, what you're talking about is very compartmentalized."

"I know, but if someone talked to you and then talks to the bad guy-"

"Alright," Kurt said, "I get it but I need your word that you won't even breathe a word about this, not in your case, not in your sleep."

Booth nodded to him, "Me and you, you have my word."

Kurt nodded and turned to the woman, "Show him."

She looked at Weller for a hard second before unzipping her pants. Leaned her back against the booth, she rose her hips up to table level before pulling one side of her pants down, taking the waistband of her underwear with it to reveal her left hip, twelve numbers ran along the scales of what could have been a snake tattooed where her hip met her thigh. It was a rather intimate place to be tattooed but from what little she revealed, her body was covered in them.

Booth nodded to her and she refastened her clothes.

"That's an account number for a money laundering operation in Washington Heights." Kurt started, "We got in through an undercover assignment we picked up from NYPD Narcotics. They pulled a cop from Manhattan South Homicide to go in because she speaks Russian and looked the part. We swapped out the cop with Jane here."

"Wait," Booth leveled a finger at her, "How is my case tattooed on her body?"

"Sorry," Weller shook his head, "That's too much classified to share, even with an old friend. We shouldn't even be telling you this much but if your guy is as bad as you say, I want you to have whatever I can give you but she's a national security secret so you need to let it go."

Booth thought about that for a minute before recognition hit him. "I heard about a bomb in Times Square, an NYPD bulletin was posted about a woman found in the bag, tattooed from head to toe, two hours later the post was pulled. That's you."

She nodded, "Yes, that was me."

"Let it go Booth." Weller cautioned, "Suffice it to say, Jane's tattoos have already saved a lot of lives so let's focus on the Op that will help make your case."

Sighing Booth leaned back, "Okay, so you replaced a cop from Homicide who speaks Russian…" His voice trailed off as he was lost in thought, Booth's eyes widened, "Manhattan South, was it Kate Beckett?"

Now it was Jane's turn to look surprised, "You know her?"

Booth nodded, "She and her partner are friends of mine."

"Then it's a good thing that Jane replaced her," Weller said in earnest. "If Beckett had gone in, she'd be dead now. It was a drug operation funding the account. Ran by a guy named Vulcan Simmons and he has history with Beckett. I brought Jane so she can tell you what happened directly."

Booth looked at her carefully and finally nodded his head, "Okay, Jane…" he prompted

"Doe." She replied.

Booth shook his head, "Funny." He figured they were just concealing her identity so he let it go. "Okay, Miss Doe. Go ahead."

Jane rolled her eyes and started.

"I went undercover for a small time hotel meet posing as Elaina Markov, a drug courier but the operation was anything but small. I was kidnapped and smuggled out, right under the nose of the NYPD and drugged. When I woke up I was in the back of some van and driven out to some mansion. That was when I got tipped off that Markov wasn't a courier. She was an assassin hired by someone they called Lazarus. I was ordered to kill someone before they'd allow me to meet him and I was taken to this house where I staged the man's death."

"It helped that we had a trace on her the entire Op." Kurt added, "We were able to secure the scene and provide Jane with cover while she 'killed' this guy."

"And he was…" Booth asked,

"Just someone who was in the way, nothing more." Jane said. "When the job was done and I was taken back, I was pulled into the basement of the house where they had their distribution system. Tons of cocaine bricks, pallets full of money, counters, packaging, it was the complete drug trade under one roof and then I met the man running the drugs."

Kurt pulled a picture out of his pocket of a well dressed and groomed black man and set it in front of Booth. "Vulcan Simmons. Used to be a mid level distributor in Washington Heights but apparently moved very high up the food chain and your friend Beckett accused him of murder once. Had she been the one on the Op, she would have been killed."

"We didn't know this upfront," Jane said, "To us, he was just a high level boss handling the day to day of a major drug operation for Lazarus. Simmons told me that he was at the head of a very big change and that his organization wanted to put me on retainer and that his boss could guarantee pay, which is why I was led through the operation. Simmons produced a picture of two women that his boss wanted dead. One was Beckett, the other one I don't know."

Weller put a second picture down and this time Booth knew exactly who the boss was, "That's Beckett's partner, Rizzoli."

"For some reason," Jane continued, "Lazarus wanted Simmons to have Beckett and Rizzoli killed before they moved to Boston. Simmons provided surveillance and backgrounds. Rizzoli was getting married and Simmons thought it would be a nice touch if they were killed before the wedding. I was offered a very high price for the job. Simmons assured me that if it was done in a timely manner, I would never have to be concerned about money again."

"Sounds like your Op was going well." Booth said, "So how did it end."

"Elana escaped custody." Weller sighed, "She arrived at the mansion and we had to move in. Jane here took out Markov and Simmons tried to kill her. I put one through his heart. But what's of most interest to you is right here."

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small brown notebook about the size of a checkbook. "We've identified the handwriting as belonging to Timothy James, your man's top aide until he was mugged a few months ago." Weller handed the book over, "Inside is names phone numbers and a small wealth of knowledge that could prove useful to your case. Neither Jane nor I can testify to it but you can use it since it was entered into evidence by Patterson. The book isn't consequential to our case so I asked Mayfair to let me give it to someone who can use it better than we can. She wasn't happy about it but she agreed and I had Patterson scan it. It's all yours with a complete chain of evidence, however some of the details of it's finding are classified."

"Patterson has been kept clean per Weller's orders." Jane added, "Once your case breaks, Weller will go to Mayfair with the details so Patterson can testify for you. She asked me to give you this." Jane pulled a flash drive out of her pocket and handed it to Booth.

He looked at it, "The finances I gave you?"

"I gave her six numbers and she chased down almost every lead." Weller said, "That's the best we can do with it. I compared it to your road map and found everything but Patterson found some new strings that your guy missed the first time, Mostly new accounts."

Both tapped it against his thumb, "Everything leaves a money trail these days."

Weller smiled crookedly, "I miss the old days where we could just beat the street and the suspects but I have to say, this modern technology cuts down on the leg work."

"You should see my wife's work sometime." Booth chuckled, "they must have a billion dollars worth of technology in that lab."

Kurt laughed too, "Probably."

Her eyes went back and forth between them.

"Booth's wife is a pathologist at the best forensic facility in the country."

"Her boss is a pathologist, she's an anthropologist."

"Bone doctor." Weller added as his phone rang, he picked it up and answered it, "Yeah."

 _"We got a hit on another tattoo."_ Patterson said.

"Jane and I are on our way." He replied and shut it off before looking at her, "Got another one."

She nodded and Weller slid out of the booth. "Duty calls."

Booth stood up and shook his hand, "Thanks a lot Kurt. You're putting a lot out there on nothing."

"You've done the same for me." He said, "Just bring this guy down and we'll call it even."

"You got it," Booth held out his hand to the woman, "Nice to meet you Jane."

She smiled and took it, before walking towards the door.

"She seems solid." Booth said to his friend.

"Yeah," came the thoughtful reply, "She's solid."

Kurt walked out with her.

 **London INTERPOL Offices,**

 **National Crime Agency,**

 **London, England.**

Emily Prentiss was a quiet woman who kept her personal life to herself. Rarely did she speak to anyone at INTERPOL about what she did outside of the office and in truth there was very little that she did that would raise flags for the International Police organization. A trusted member of the London office, no one thought it was suspicious when Prentiss received a phone call and immediately gathered her coat and signed out of the office. In fact, the few who noticed figured that she had a lead in one of their cases, since Prentiss was a very skilled profiler but as she walked out onto Citadel Place, her heart rate doubled as their Scotland Yard Liaison walked out behind her.

Nine years her junior, Inspector Ashton Cumberland was six feet of long, lean, British hotness that was the heartthrob of the the office. His blue eyes were hypnotic and his smile was devastating, and for a reason she hadn't figured out yet, Ashton's eyes recently turned towards her and no other. She didn't believe it was her dark hair, dark eyes, or shapely figure. Inspecteur Georgette Lumiere from DGSI, the French version of Homeland Security who strangely reminded Prentiss of JJ, had far better assets than she did. Yet despite Georgette's flirts, Ashton was polite in his disinterest and when not running down fugitives, he was coming up with reasons to hang around the office and often, placing his gentlemanly charms on Emily.

"Special Agent Prentiss," He smiled as he said her title in his deep timber of a voice, "You seem to be in quite the hurry. May I offer my services as a chauffeur."

"You are many things, Ashton, but a chauffeur isn't one of them." She replied, running scenarios in her head to excuse herself from his company without arousing suspicions.

"Nonsense," his smile went lopsided and she arched a brow at him, "I chauffeur some of London's worst offenders in my car. Surely if they are worthy of my company, then I should insist that you are welcome."

She smiled, sometimes he really was charming, "Unfortunately, I have a meeting with a CI. Since he'll only deal with me, having you around would probably spook him underground."

"I never understood the American predilection of hiring criminals for information." He shook his head and a strand of his richly curled hair fell across his eyes. "Would I be presumptuous to say that you should have some kind of escort? Someone to keep you safe."

Emily smiled at him and pulled open her coat and jacket, "I'm firearms authorized, remember?"

His blue eyes ran a polite heated gazed along her shirt from her well shaped chest, along her smooth stomach, and down to her shapely hip where a Glock 17 was holstered above a well shaped thigh.

Ashton couldn't resist the opportunity as he opened his knee length wool coat to reveal his well to do apparel and build. His white button down shirt was encased in a vest from a three piece suit and was perfectly fitted to his masculine build. He'd forgone both the suit jacket and tie. The crowned double squared badge of Scotland Yard was affixed to his breast pocket and right beside that was a shoulder holster with a SIG P226 nestled firmly inside it.

"Two firearms are better than one." he replied.

Prentiss smirked slightly, "Well, this little I'll-show-you-mine-if-you-show-me-your's has been fun but I'm late."

She watched the idea form in his mind, there was a measure of professional protectiveness that Ashton was known for and Emily saw it pique in his eyes. Despite his flirtatious demeanor, his instinct to protect his coworker was professional and she saw him formulating a plan to follow her. She couldn't allow that or his life would be in danger. She had to stop this now.

"My contact sells cheap knock offs of Chanel purses and Gucci Bags." She said to dispel his thoughts, "He's in Soho right now and I have to catch him before he moves to Greenwich or I'll be out for most of the day."

The idea hesitated in his mind.

Emily put on a pleasant smile and gave him a taste of what she knew would distract him, and after her meeting she just might need the distraction too. "Five thirty. I get off at five thirty. If your around, maybe you can buy me that pint."

He smiled at her, "You're trying to dissuade me from following you."

And that was why he was such a good cop, "Yes, I am."

He smiled, "Half-five. One pint."

"Deal." She replied.

Seeing a Cab driving along Tinworth Street, Ashton pulled his badge and stepped into the street. The Cab stopped in front of him and he walked to the back door and opened it for her. "See you at half-five."

Emily smiled at him but kept her foot on the concrete as she sat down in the small car and she put the last piece of her distraction in place. The one thing that gave it credibility. "Ashton?"

He had to bend down to hear her, "Yes?"

She looked deep into his blue eyes to read him as she spoke. "Don't tell anyone. My private life is private and I'd like to keep it that way."

He smiled at her. "I'm good at secrets."

She smiled warmly at him and pulled her leg in so he could shut the door.

"Soho," she said to the cabbie, "Regency and Piccadilly."

He nodded and drove off.

 **The Chancery,**

 **London, England**

Seated in the back of the compact dining room of a restaurant that doesn't open until much later in the day, Red gently cut the lightly cured Salmon and placed a small forkful in his mouth. Closing his eyes he savored the flavor as it spread across his palette.

"Mmm hmm." He expelled through his nose as he swallowed the morsel and looked up at the waiter, "Tell the Chef that he's outdone himself this time."

The waiter, a middle eastern man that spoke perfect English, smiled, "He'll be very delighted to hear so." He then looked at the dark haired woman who was with him, "Would the lady prefer something different. The salmon is exquisite but perhaps you would prefer our delectable beef rib. It's served with horseradish, pomme purée-"

"No. Thank you. I'm fine." She said firmly to him and kept her eyes on Red. "why are we even here?"

"Because the Chancery is one of the finest dining experiences in Soho." he said to her and looked up at the waiter, "Please, bring her the Mousse."

"I'm not interested." She said again as the waiter walked away.

"Lizzy." red wiped his mouth and set the table cloth down, "The Valrhona chocolate mousse is one of the best anywhere. Since we are waiting for one of my contacts, you might as well learn to broaden your culinary horizons."

"My horizons are broad enough," she said, "What I don't care for is flying to France just to smuggle myself into England, hiding out in a restaurant and all the while, not having a clue what your up to. That's what I don't like."

He smiled at the fire that she displayed, the power she possessed. Truly she was a marvel of ability and drive. As long as he kept his secrets from her until the right time, she'd be unstoppable.

"We're meeting with someone who owes me a very large favor. An unwilling participant in our investigation into the Cabal, though she doesn't know anything about the Cabal itself."

The waiter walked out of the kitchen and quickly crossed the dining room to place the chocolate mousse in front of her. He nodded to Red and left just as quickly.

Lizzy looked down at the brown gelatinous material on the plate and even in her heightened state of suspicion, she could admit that the mousse looked delicious.

"Dembe." Red said.

The large black African man stood up from the bar and walked over to the table. He picked up a fork and cut away a portion of the desert and ate it quickly. He nodded to Red who took the fork and he too tried it.

"I believe they call that orgasmic." Red said after he swallowed his portion.

"Indeed." Dembe said, "I think I'll have one myself."

Lizzy narrowed her eyes and was about to say something smart to him when a knock on the front door interrupted her. She looked over her shoulder to see Dembe letting in a curvy woman with black hair and eyes. Very pretty, Red's smile turned up to about a hundred watts as Dembe opened the door for her.

"Emily!" He shouted, "Come, sit. My associate here was about to try the Mousse. Why don't you tell her about the croissants we had the last time we got together?"

"I'm not one of your dates, Reddington." She snapped, "I appreciate what you did for me and what you did for JJ but I have a lot of other criminals to track down so save the semi interesting story time and move on to what it is you want. The sooner I get you off JJ's back the better."

"I take it you spoke to Jennifer, recently?" He asked.

She sat down at the table. "About an hour after your little house call."

"I had a feeling." He indicated the woman across from him, "My associate, Lizzy. Don't bother exchanging names. It's much better if you don't."

"No need." Lizzy said, "Special Agent Emily Prentiss is very well known for her work at the Behavioral Analysis Unit."

She narrowed her eyes at the young woman. "And you know of the BAU, how?"

"Because I'm a profiler." She replied, "Before Red got me stuck in his web, I was on my way to being assigned to the BAU."

"Funny how he gets to people, isn't it?" Emily said.

Lizzy rolled her eyes.

"Get to it, Red." She said again.

"Jennifer needs information on an American citizen that she doesn't have the security to pull." He said simply and pulled a flash drive out of his pocket, "the information is here but I wouldn't plug it into your computer."

She took the flash drive and glared at him, "You could have sent a courier."

"Yes I could have except that's not the only reason I'm here." He leaned across the table. "I'm looking for INTERPOL information on the Raven Cartel. Specifically there is an apprehension that happened in Washington Heights. I'm told that it was a very significant set back to the Cartel's New York City operations."

"I'm sure you have others who are more willing to give out classified information." She set the drive down on the table, "Ask someone over there."

"I want you to do it." He replied.

"Why?" she asked and her tone was becoming more hostile.

"Lets just say I don't want to come across someone else who's looking into this from another angle." He replied and looked straight at Keen.

"Too bad." She said and shoved the drive towards him, "You want something small like a handgun or two, fine. Some basic information that you can't otherwise get, whatever. But you want highly classified and compartmentalized information? No way, I'm not jeopardizing my position for you."

"You speak about what you're going to do or not do like you have a choice." He leaned in closer and his voice grew less jovial and more serious. "I can arrange for the Attorney General to receive copies of the false passports I provided for you and some very unfortunate background on Jennifer's assistance in your disappearance."

Emily wanted to pull her gun and put a round through his skull, but she doubted the woman next to her would allow it and Dembe would definitely kill her whether she succeeded or not. But regardless of what had happened or the consequences, she wasn't about to let a threat like that pass.

"You stay away from JJ and her family or so help me, I will put a bullet through that smug face of yours." Emily said as coldly as she could manage, "You are to stay the fuck away from her."

"If you really love her, you'll bring me what I need within 48 hours." He said, his eyes boring into hers, "Or the next contact you'll have with Washington will be an extradition from the State Department."

He held up the drive and glared hard, "This for Jennifer, that is the deal."

She read his features and saw the cold blooded monster Raymond Reddington was known for. But she also saw truth.

"I do this and she's free of you." Prentiss said.

"Completely." He replied. "I'll come to you for what I go to her for."

Emily stared at him before snatching the flash drive from his hand and stood up. "You break your word and I'll kill you, even if I have to die to do it."

"Of that I have no doubt." He said. "48 hours."

She stalked out of the restaurant.

"Jesus Christ." Elizabeth shouted, "You're going to threaten a senior agent right in front of me? And who the hell is JJ?"

"Jennifer Jareau is a woman that Emily is very much in love with though unfortunately for her, Jennifer doesn't feel quite the same for her." He said and nodded to Dembe. The man picked up the mousse he'd just received and carried it outside to get the car while Red explained what just happened.

"Jennifer once did a very bad thing to save Emily's life, she asked me for help which is a debt that she can't actually repay. Emily just assumed Jennifer's debt, which is more advantageous to us anyway if we are going to take down the Cabal. However, she requires a certain type of motivation but so long as she's in love with Jennifer, she has an easily turnable key."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Hi, there, really sorry that this took longer to put out but it was a very long two weeks, please enjoy, and tell me what you think. It's always fun to hear. CDPhan, one more visit to JJ later. Thank you for the suggestion. to the other one who inquired, Not sure about Marg but i'll see if i can put her in somewhere. No beta for Red's piece. Zarosguth and TheCuriousWanderer looked this over on the first and second drafts, final was my own.**_

* * *

 **Madison Grille,**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **Two weeks later…**

More often than not a person could find Abbie at the Madison Grille due to its proximity to the US District Courthouse for DC. With the Jorgensen Case going to trial this afternoon, Abbie had walked into her favorite restaurant to find Booth sitting at her table. As he looked up at her, she arched a brow at him since he was the one who insisted on no contact between them except at predetermined times. It was still a week from their next meeting and she didn't know what he was up to but she knew that she had to keep the rest of her party away from the FBI agent.

"Oh no," Ashley griped as she came up next to her boss. "I swear I called to confirm that your table was empty."

"That's all right. We can sit in a booth." Came the smooth voice of the US Attorney for the DC District and Abbie's boss.

Abbie looked over at the waitress who normally kept the table for her when Ashley called. The waitress frowned then shrugged at the attorneys. The table was strategically located in a corner where they had a view of Madison Ave but still had a fair amount of privacy, There were no doors nearby and the waite station was also a respectable distance but not so far away as to be forgotten. Her eyes went to the Fed.

Agent Booth wiped his hands and his mouth before picking up the check and dropping a few bills on the table. As he stood up, he dropped a napkin on the table and headed to the register.

"No, it's good." Abbie grinned. "Let's go get it before someone else does."

She quickly stepped to the table and sat in the same seat Booth had, causing the FBI Agent to smiled as he paid his check and walked out. Abbie frowned at the image that he'd sketched on the napkin, a cartoon mummy holding the number five in its hand. She understood immediately what he wanted and shook her head at the the thing as her assistant sat down next to her.

"I called," Ashley said as the waitress came over.

The waitress cleared the table, "I'm so sorry, Miss Griffin. It will just take a minute to clean this up."

Charlie rolled his eyes, "You and this table."

"Hey." She scoffed "the place is clean, the service is good, and they have a decent Portobello and Swiss."

Charlie laughed as he sat down, "Portobello and Swiss?"

"Finger Lickin' good." she joked in her native Texas drawl as she kept an eye on the FBI Agent.

As Booth stopped at the newsstand outside, Abbie saw that he was watching her over the rims of his sunglasses instead of looking at the newspaper. Ashley started in on what she could expect from the defense attorney in the Jorgensen case and Abbie rested her elbow on the table, cupping her chin in her palm as if she was bored. What no one but Booth saw was the three fingers that cupped her cheek. The Fed folded the newspaper, pushed up his sunglasses with three fingers, and paid for the paper. He'd gotten the message.

Abbie watched him walk down the sidewalk and tried her best to focus on the case instead of why Booth wpuld push up their meeting next week. The way she saw it, it was either very good, or very, very bad.

 **Ancient Egypt Exhibit.**

 **The Jeffersonian.**

 **3:00 PM.**

The exhibit had a small class of students who were all staring at old Imhotep so Abbie was forced to sit down and wait them out. As more students started to pile in to the exhibit, Abbie was convinced that she was going to have to walk away when a security guard walked up to her and handed her a badge.

"Miss Carmichael." He said. "You forgot your ID in the breakroom."

The use of her maiden name caught her by surprise as did the badge with her face inside the Jeffersonian logo.

"Dr Edison is waiting for you in Cold Storage." The guard added, " Just so you know, Dr Edison doesn't like waiting for interns so expect some of that snotty attitude."

He used his key to unlock the security door next to the mummy and held it open for her. Abbie saw Booth leaning against a crate, barely in view. She clipped the badge to her suit and walked in. "Thanks, um…"

"George." He said with a smile.

She walked in and George shut the door behind her.

She pulled the badge off and handed it to the Fed. "Like I said, you seem to like the cloak and dagger."

"It keeps us from attracting attention." He said.

"So you set us up with a set schedule and now you push it up," Abbie let him guide her around to a quiet set of crates.

"I heard back from my friend at the CIRG." Booth pulled out the newspaper he'd bought earlier and pulled out a set of printouts that he'd hidden inside. "His Top Squint uncovered the whole network." Booth said as he handed her the short stack. "It's all there. The Cayman accounts, First of Manhattan, the bribes and the links to the old Escalante Cartel. Put that with the wire transfers to the mercenaries and we've got him."

"Booth, you need more than printouts from a computer." She said, handing it back.

His smile widened as he pulled a checkbook sized planner out of his pocket. "I got it. During an operation they conducted earlier this month, Weller's team found a notebook with phone numbers and account information. It was all written by Bracken's assistant, Tim James, who was killed in a mugging gone bad or so we thought. It turns out that this guy Simmons handled it, but he didn't trust Bracken so he kept James's ledger as insurance. Weller thinks that Simmons was working for Bracken but answered to someone else."

He handed her a set of gloves he'd taken from his wife's office and handed them to her before handing over the book.

"The Raven?" She asked as she carefully removed and opened the book.

"That would be my guess." He said "There's enough financial information for the accounts in the book to identify them. Weller's squint chased the money that ran from the Cartel to the Caymans and back to Bracken through his superPAC as well as private accounts."

Abbie looked at him. "How did you get account information from the Cayman Islands? It's all anonymous."

"Can't tell you that." He smiled wickedly. "The Patriot Act."

"Talk about abuse." Abbie shook her head. "What else is in this book?"

"All of Bracken's off shore account info. His email addresses, phone numbers, Including an unregistered satellite phone he uses to call a number I've traced to Bogotá, Colombia."

"There's your Raven connection." She looked up at him and held up the book. "How solid is this, really?"

He smirked at her, "Its solid. The details of the CIRG's operation are classified but he knows what's at stake so took care of us on background for the op and the search. His Forensics are available to you as is his top squint's testimony, Chain of Evidence. It's solid Abbie."

She flipped through the book, "I need you to prove that number belongs to the Cartel that holds these accounts. If your people can hold up, we've got him on the drug operation, but I want him for those killings in New York. If I can put him in bed with the cartel as part of an ongoing criminal enterprise, we can try him with RICO."

"We have more than enough to try him for a laundry list of charges." Booth said. "You really think that RICO is the best way to go after him?"

"Without RICO, the other charges will be much harder to prove since it relies on clear facts as opposed to patterns." Abbie closed the book and handed it back to him. "Your case is starting to look like a winner but in this city and at this level, a conviction is very hard to get."

"How hard?" he asked, genuinely concerned.

"Last senator that was tried and convicted for this was shot on the White House lawn by President Jefferson." Abbie said, "Even without RICO, Booth, this case looks really good and with the right prosecutor, you have a good chance of a conviction."

"Then I guess all I need is a prosecutor." He said.

She knew exactly what he was implying with those dark eyes of his. Abbie handed him the book in the evidence bag. "And I'll introduce you to my boss. Believe me Booth, he knows what's right and he'll get you a good one."

"Benson said you were the only one she would trust on this." He said as he hung his elbow on top of a crate, "Beckett and Rizzoli agreed with her."

She looked up at him. "Look Booth, don't think that I'm trying to back out on you. But to be frank, I'm not sure I can put my family in that kind of danger."

Nodding in understanding, Booth couldn't argue with her. Once the case went public, everyone they knew would have a target on their back.

"Yeah."

"But I can tell you that you have a serious case that's got RICO written all over it." She said indicating the file, "Ongoing Criminal enterprises from both past and present. Montgomery's confession goes to Extortion and Racketeering. Beckett's murder goes on the murder for hire again along with the attempts on the partners. Your case is solid but I'd really like to see this Cartel link exposed. Do that and in addition to RICO I can charge him with Treason and that is one hell of a charge on a senator that will change the way the whole case is viewed. Tie him to this Raven Cartel and we can RICO the whole organization on behavior instead of just him on specifics."

"I'll get right on it." He said and checked his watch, "I've got to go meet Bones on a regular case so let's meet up again on schedule."

Abbie nodded, "Okay, a week from tomorrow."

Booth opened the door to the Ancient Greece exhibit where a statue of Achilles stood in real Ancient Greek armor, his sword raised in combat and his wood covered bronze hoplon shielding a young woman. "See you then, councilor."

She nodded and hesitated before stepping through the door, she looked up at Booth. "Can you get me Beckett's address?"

He nodded to her, "I'll have it for you by the end of the day."

Abbie nodded and walked away.

 **Culligan's Fine Fare.**

 **London, England.**

Emily Prentiss again walked into a local restaurant that didn't open until much later in the day to find Red Reddington siting in a private booth enjoying a sundae.

"Ahh! Emily!" he exclaimed, "Come and have a bit of a sit down."

She rolled her eyes at the thought of him trying to use the British version of english.

"I have to say that in all the world, very few places are able to produce a proper English Trifle." He sat down the fork and leaned back into the booth, his well to do tailored suit covered by a cloth stuffed into the collar of his shirt.

"The only thing better than a trifle is a good old fashioned Eton mess." He said with that overly exemplified smile. "I do wish that I hadn't missed the annual cricket competition. I understand that the kids from Harrow gave Eton quite the challenge."

He waved his hand to the kitchen and a waiter appeared far more promptly than the last time she'd eaten here.

"Have a trifle, or a mess."

Emily sat down and shook her head, "No, thank you, I'm fine."

He smiled wolfishly, "Truly you don't appreciate the culinary wonders around you. Perhaps a Spotted Dick would be preferred."

She rolled her eyes at his colorful employment of the unfortunate name of a rather delicious English dessert. "If I wanted a Spotted Dick, I'd ask for a raisin muffin."

"Well said."He laughed, genuinely amused, and looked up at the waiter. "A glass of Bailey's to go with this."

The waiter nodded and left.

"How about we just get to it, then." He said.

Emily sat down in the booth and rested her elbows on the table. Red's careful eyes caught the hesitation as she cupped her hands together Emily looked down at them and her mouth partly open, she ran her tongue between her lips. It was something she did, like she was bracing herself. Her nearly black eyes tipped up at him and she breathed in.

"I need to know that you'll leave JJ alone from now until the end of time." She said her, voice had a nearly throaty quality.

Red smiled at her. "Such passion for a woman you don't get to be with."

"JJ for the information!" She said coldly, "That's what you said and I want to hear you say it."

Red finished the trifle and wiped his mouth then his hands, "On occasion, I need information from official sources, like Jennifer, like you. You provide me with those occasional pieces of knowledge and in exchange, not only will I forgive her debt, but I'll keep other… unsavory people out of her life."

He leaned forward sinisterly his voice low and deadly, "You hold up your end and I'll see to it that Jennifer Jareau remains unharmed in her very dangerous line of work."

"You'll protect her?" She asked, remembering how JJ was kidnapped and tortured not very long ago.

"That unfortunate business that followed her home from Afghanistan will never happen again, you have my word."

And with that, Emily knew that there would never be a way to rid herself of Raymond Reddington. Closing her eyes she weighed that against her heart. Even unrequited, her love for the beautiful blonde profiler won out almost instantly.

"If I'm caught." She said.

His smile became jovial again, "It wouldn't be the first time that I've set you up with a new life, but think of the money you could make as a private contractor."

He shuddered in mock delight, "Bora Bora never looked more affordable."

She sighed as she pulled out a compact tablet out of her pocket. "I wasn't able to get much on the Washington Heights operation. It was labeled classified and compartmentalized only to the New York CIRG. But I have managed to pull a DEA file on this Raven Cartel."

She handed him the tablet, "Most of it is supposition, a lot of it is bullshit, but the most solid information came from looking at what each of the individual departments had and putting them together overall. The NYPD provided a pretty clear picture of the takeover of Escalante's network in New York. What no one else seemed to be able to put together was the distribution center."

"Washington Heights." He said knowingly as he scrolled through the tablet.

"Washington Heights." She repeated, "no one agency could have seen it but the DEA should have since it was their Task Force and they had all the pieces."

"The DEA agent in charge." Red put his arms up over the back of the booth, "Who is he?"

"Special Agent in Charge Clint Virago." She replied, "A history as long as yours except instead of running a lucrative business as America's most wanted, he came up on a couple of marginal busts and a series of administration jobs. It's the boots on the ground that you should be worried about."

"Really?" he laughed, "Tell me."

She took the tablet and flipped to a file, "Special Agent Seraphina Beltran. She's the boots on the ground whereas Virago is the D.C. coordinator and mouthpiece. She runs out of the New England Headquarters and has a long track record of undercover assignments. She is the one who brought down Cesar Velez and she did it by infiltrating his organization in Medellín, Colombia. She's good at her job and she's very successful. She's been undercover 68% of her career and some think that she has a personal grudge against the Raven but no one is certain and she refuses to speak of it."

She looked at him through her nearly black eyes, "If she gets a whiff of you, she'll hunt you down until one of you is dead."

"I'm not in the drug business." He said confidently

"No your just the Concierge." She grumbled, "You just provide criminals with whatever they desire."

"What about my other interest?" he asked changing the subject.

Emily sighed. "New York Senator William Bracken is engaged in a war on drugs. He's pushed legislature that has tasked out manpower and equipment in his attempts to close off the gulf of Mexico and the Mexican border from drug trafficking. A favorite for his party and it looks like his recent successes in the Caribbean and his strong campaign are going to lead him to the White house. there's been some speculation that he hasn't been as good as he claims but nothing concrete, some trouble he was exonerated from in New York City. His wife recently filed for divorce claiming that she is not interested in the public scrutiny of being the first lady. Bracken's press agent has hinted around with the idea that she's politically opposed to some of his ideals but my belief is that he's been unfaithful or at the very least is into something she doesn't want to be involved with."

She sighed and went to the last item on her list. "I've searched for any kind of reference to the codename Lazarus in connection with either the Raven Cartel or Bracken and came up with nothing. Only Lazarus I could find was the obvious mythological reference, a secret Nazi SS base in Eastern Germany, and a 1978 ICBM attack program that's been obsolete for fifteen years."

She handed him the tablet and he smiled, "All of your research data is here?"

"What I could get without getting caught and file numbers for what I couldn't." She replied. "What is it you expect JJ to give you?"

"Just a different piece of the same puzzle." he replied, "It's best that you don't know."

"You're done with her?" She asked again.

"Emily, I gave you my word." he replied again, "I assure you that your former coworker and love interest is perfectly safe and will remain so."

"I hope it's a long time before you darken my life again." She got up and headed for the door.

He held up the tablet, "I'd be happy to arrange a payment in that Barstow account you still have, if you'd like."

Emily stopped cold, disbelief was plain across her face as she turned. "What did you say?"

Red smiled, "A small donation for Henry's college fund."

"How did you know about that?" She asked in shock.

Red merely shrugged, "If the day comes when I don't know something about you or JJ? That's the day you need to start running because something very bad is coming for you."

He stood up and slipped his Jacket on. "One more thing, your Scotland Yard would-be-suitor is around the corner, he should be here in a few minutes. I suggest that you listen to Gaston and have a trifle before he arrives."

He put on his hat and smiled beneath the sunglasses he perched on his nose and walked into the kitchen.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Just a little more background to keep all the players current. Big one here.**_

 _ **For a wonderful review:** **Creo que ha dicho la historia está apagado . Estás en lo correcto y que es necesario para solucionarlo. Gracias por leer.**_

* * *

 **The Hamptons,**

 **Long Island, NY.**

Abbie climbed out of the cab and looked up at the large home that was a match for the one in her hand. Considering the distance from Manhattan, and the obviously long commute, she was starting to have some serious doubts about if she was in the right place. She looked over at the bright red topless Ferrari in the driveway as well as the Aston-Martin Volante Vanquish convertible. Either one could have Beckett in the city within an hour.

She leaned down to look at the cab driver and pulled fifty dollars out of her pocket. "Could you wait for a few minutes? I'm not sure this is the place."

He took the bill and nodded, "five minutes then I drop the meter again."

She nodded and walked up the granite stairs and rang the doorbell. A particularly loud and fancy chime started inside but by the time it was over, the door was pulled open to reveal Sergeant Kate Beckett, her hair was soaking wet and she hand a very thin robe clutched to her chest. Her face was flushed and Abbie doubted it was from running to the door.

Beckett gave her an odd look that Abbie couldn't identify. It was strangest look, as if she was supposed to know what the detective was thinking.

"Sergeant Beckett." Abbie said plainly and raised her hands up to show her palms, "I'm Abigail Griffin."

Again a strange look before Beckett looked down at her hands, her eyes widened as she looked over the US Attorney. "Oh my god. That still creeps me out…"

"Yeah, I already got that from Angela." She said with a slight grin. "May I come in?"

Kate blinked and held the door open. "I'm sorry, Yes, please, come in."

Abbie waved off the cab and walked in passed the detective. Beckett shut the large door behind her and caught Abbie's eye, "I'll be right back, I have to stop my fiance-"

"I've got the ice." A man said teasingly before walking into the hallway. Completely naked except for the towel he clutched over his manhood and a short glass with two ice cubes in it, he was rather handsome but a good ten years older than Kate Beckett.

"-from walking in here naked." Kate finished.

"Damn it, Jane, you promised you were going to call!" He shouted at her before backing into a sitting room.

Abbie was stunned into silence as Kate put a hand to her head, "Rick, it's not Jane."

"Kate, I'm not blind." He barked from around the corner. "And she broke her word."

"Miss Griffin, can you please excuse us for a few minutes." Kate said politely before she walked into the other room.

She walked into the sitting room and Abbie heard a loud. "Ow!"

Abbie blinked as Beckett led him out of the room by his ear. He clutched the towel to his waist as Kate smiled over her shoulder at the attorney. "We'll be right back."

She walked him away with Castle still trying to cover his rear end, quietly protesting Kate's death grip on his ear with a quiet series of "ow, ow, ows."

* * *

"It's not Jane." She said again as she slipped her pants on, "Believe me, I know my partner, Rick."

"I know her too." He buttoned his shirt. "And you're going to try to tell me that you just happen to know her long lost twin or something?"

Kate jerked her shirt up off the floor, "Nope."

He smirked at her. "See."

She glared back, "But Liv does know her. She used to be an ADA for SVU."

"This is some kind of weird doppelganger thing isn't it." He pulled on a pair of pants, "Maura secretly cloned Jane and now the evil copy is going to kill us so it can drain our blood and use it to create a clone army to take over the world."

Kate stared blankly at him and his ridiculous imagination, "From what Liv told me, Abbie is the good twin, Jane is the evil twin."

He frowned at her, "That's actually not as comforting as you might think."

She grinned mischievously at him, "Nervous Castle?"

"Just wondering if she carries around a stun baton." He muttered. "Still, what are the chances of Jane having a nearly identical twin out there?"

She finished dressing thinking almost the same thing. Abbie had to be Frank Rizzoli's illegitimate daughter or something. People don't just have exact copies running around. But there was no denying that the woman downstairs wasn't Jane after Kate had messaged to her on the porch and it went completely over Abbie's head. The ability to communicate through a series of looks was something that she and her partner had been able to do almost from the day they had met, though what they called messaging had evolved to a near conversational level after Jane moved to New York City. Their two male partners in New York liked to joke around that they were psychic. But it was just one more thing that both women took comfort in.

Nearly properly dressed, Kate walked into the receiving room and immediately held her hand out to the attorney.

"Mrs. Griffin." She said warmly. "Sorry about that but it's been awhile since Rick and I had any alone time."

"Believe me, I understand. I've got three sons and a husband who's a workaholic." Abbie shook her hand, "So quit with the Mrs. Griffin stuff. I'm Abbie."

"Kate." She replied and sat down on a small couch, "So Abbie, Jane said that she got a visit from you last month. You do know how dangerous it is coming to see us."

"Yeah, I do." Abbie sat down on a chair and cupped her hands in her lap, "Booth helped me make arrangements to minimize the risks. I doubt that anyone saw me but if they did, they'd assume I'm Jane so…"

Kate appraised her again, looking over the nice jeans, casual shirt and then scrutinizing her face carefully. She appeared a few years younger then her partner despite the fact that Abbie was actually five years older. It was unnerving and Kate couldn't help but send to her again. _My life for my partner…_ As expected, there was no reply.

"Well that's certainly true." Kate finally said, "I've never seen two people unrelated look so much alike. Are you sure-"

"I am.' Abbie interrupted. "Believe me, Mrs. Rizzoli had me talking 'bout family history for two hours before she was convinced that her ex-husband hadn't been unfaithful with my mother."

"That's sounds like Ma." Kate laughed, "Jane's Dad is still a sore spot for her."

Abbie nodded.

"So I doubt you came up to Long Island just to meet me," Kate straightened. " I assume you want to talk about the case."

"Yeah." Abbie crossed her legs and sat up straight, "I need to hear it from you. I need to know what happened from your perspective."

"How much do you want to hear?" Kate said. "Because for me, this case started January 9th, 1999, with the murder of my mom."

"I want to hear all of it, Kate." She said, "I need to know what I'm' dealing with. I have Booth's files which start with what you gave him and move forward from there. But I need to hear it all, and I want to hear it all from you."

Kate nodded and walked over to the mantle where she picked up one of the few pictures that she'd placed here in an attempt to feel at home instead of Ricks guest. She gently grazed her fingertips over the glass before walking to Abbie and handing it to her, "That's my mom, Johanna. She was killed by Dick Coonan, a Contract killer hired by William Bracken back in the 'bad old days' of the mob when he was an over ambitious ADA."

Abbie took the picture and seeing the grief and mourning still in the detective's eyes, she listened as Kate laid out her life. Her mother's murder and how it caused her to drop out of Law School and become a cop. Kate told her everything, every detail about Ragland, McAllister and her mentor Roy Montgomery, about how her friendship with Olivia and then Jane came to be. As Castle joined them He sat next to Kate as she recounted meeting him and his pursuit of her mother's killer. He was the one who filled in the details about Montgomery's protection of her. They both spoke of Jane joining the NYPD and later about how She and Jane hunted down Cole Maddox, the man who had shot her through the chest. And through each harrowing story, Abbie felt for the detective and her writer fiance. Even more so when Kate told Abbie about Alexis shooting Louis Dorsey, the unsub who shot Maura in the back near Christmas.

When Kate finally fell silent, it was dark outside. Castle offered her a bed for the night and Abbie gratefully accepted it.

Later that night as she stood at her bedroom window listening to the ocean lapping against the beach, Abbie's mind spun with everything she was told about New York Senator William Bracken, combining the details of the case She and booth had assembled with what Beckett and Castle had told her. If even half of it was true, the man was a monster and needed to be dragged into the light of the law. She closed her eyes as a breeze came in off the Atlantic. Her thoughts whirling around similarly as she tried to complicate how Bracken could have done everything that they say he did without attracting the attention she and booth were about to lay on him now. Someone should have seen this coming.

She heard a knock on the frame of her door and, her concentration broken, Abbie turned to her side to see Kate standing there, "Is there anything that you need?"

Abbie turned back to the window, "I wish I had a place like this where I could escape sometimes."

Kate smiled as she came up next to her, "Would you believe that in two years with Rick, I've been here twice. The last time, a guy with a gunshot wound fell into the pool and died."

"You live some kind of life Beckett." Abbie groused.

Kate glanced over with a slight grin, "Murder has been a part of my life for so long, I don't think I could do anything else without loosing my mind."

"Booth said you got a 3.8 in NYU pre-law before you dropped out." Abbie crossed her arms, chilled slightly from the breeze.

"And you had a 4.0 in Law school." Kate said knowingly. "Olivia said that you graduated Valedictorian with high honors on a track scholarship."

"University of Texas in Houston." At the mention of her old friend Abbie smiled wide as she looked to Kate, "and Olivia talks too much."

"Oh you do know her then." Kate chuckled.

"Oh honey I've known her since the day she came off patrol and went into the SVU." Abbie laughed, "That one had a hard time letting go of the 90's."

Kate blinked in surprise. "Really?"

Laughing and leaning in conspiratorially, Abbie nodded, "I've got a picture of her in the SVU bull pen wearing this silk knit sleeveless crew neck t-shirt and lagoon blue double reverse pleated fugi pants."

"Oh I want a copy of that." Kate chuckled.

"With or without the two button unconstructed blazer rolled up to her elbows." Abbie asked. "And that was back when she dyed her hair black."

Kate cackled loudly in amusement. "I' am going to be the queen of LETO next year if you bring me those pictures."

"Jane may have you beat," Abbie said, "She wants any pictures of Olivia and I together from back in the day since I look so much like her."

"I'll pay you to keep those hidden for a year or so." Kate offered with a grin, "My soon to be husband is rich."

Abbie laughed, "I think you're safe. I know where the Olivia - Miami Vice pictures are, but we didn't hang out together all that much so there aren't many of those, maybe a Polaroid or two."

"You just tell me what you need." Kate looked down at the man's watch that rested on her wrist, "But I need to go spend some quality time with Rick or he'll get jealous of the Evil Jane clone."

She chuckled as Kate headed out of the room. Staring off into the black Abbie couldn't help but think of how much she envied Olivia for such a close knit group. Suddenly she thought of something and bolted to the hallway.

"Kate?"

Beckett turned around at the end of the hall and asked, "Yes?"

"DO you have Olivia's number?"

Smiling again Kate went into the bedroom and came out with her cell phone. She opened her contacts and handed it over before going back to the master suites. "Good night." She hollered before closing the door.

Abbie looked down at the phone and the number stored there. It was only one word, Boyo.

 **Building 283**

 **Springfield Arms Advanced Training Center**

 **Ft Justice, IL.**

Radically different from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia, Fort Justice was rebuilt from the US Army's midwest ordnance base. Set on the edge of Camp Lincoln, the old base had been abandoned and derelict since the sixties, used only as an additional ground for National guardsman a few weekends a year. Springfield arms purchased it at the behest of its top training engineer to become the ultimate training and testing facility Law Enforcement had ever known. It was essentially filled with barracks, a dining facility, a medical station and dozens of hangars that were used to house munitions. When Springfield arms took possession of the base, the company began renovations. The warehouses and hangars were set up for various functions and though the primary reason for Fort Justice was to house the Law Enforcement tactical Operations expo, year round there were people on post, conducting training classes for police departments from all over the country and conducting testing of new weapons and equipment. Ballistic tests of new weapons, body armor, vehicles and even digital technology. For many at Springfield it was a full time job. For others it was just a place to get away from the rest of the world.

On the far side of the old airstrip was a hangar all by itself. Tucked away in the woods, it was converted into a home for Colin O'Malley, the man who created LETO and masterminded Fort Justice. Four private bedrooms housed his friends during the training expo. The rest of the time he was alone here, except this year. This year his closest and dearest friend was using it as a sanctuary. A safe haven as she reinvented herself. Most nights she had trouble sleeping but recently she had moved from her small but comfortable room on the ground floor into the loft above the main floor of the hangar. Rarely was someone permitted to stay here but her friendship with the man who lay beside her was more than close enough to allow her to stay.

Though she was comfortable and the nightmares had subsided, she still lay awake, listening to the gentle rain falling on the steel roof just three yards over her head. Colin turned on his side as he lay beside her, his arm drifted over her in his sleep. Olivia Benson settled under that arm as she lay with her back now pressed softly against his chest. Their friendship had always been a close one which was why she was here. Here she didn't feel so alone. His tattooed arm rested along her own and she admired the scroll work he used to hide certain things, like the small puncture scars that wrapped around his wrist. Listening to nature's pinging lullaby she gently twisted her arm to see the Celtic words there, **"Forty miles a day, on beans and hay, in the Regular Army 'o."**

She smiled at the words. Remembering how just last week he taught a platoon of cops how to sing it as they marched. She'd marched along side them as his training assistant, chanting along with the rest of them.

 _"There was Sergeant John McCaffery and Captain Donahue,_

 _Oh they made us march and toe the mark in gallant Company Q,_

 _Well the drums would roll upon me soul, this is the style we go,_

 _Forty miles a day, on beans and hay, in the regular Army 'o."_

The funny part was how they got them to cadence it loud and proud. The army really did screw up by not taking advantage of his natural ability to lead but one thing that Liv had learned recently was that there were reasons for everything, even if you didn't know what they were.

She looked down at her own forearm that lay along his. The words that a friend of hers had inked into her arm in the same style of Celtic lettering but hers were words of hope. Words that she never wanted to forget.

 **"Sisters are God's way of proving that He doesn't want us to walk alone."**

And as Liv thought of her sisters, her smile reached all the way to her eyes and she snuggled closer into Colin's chest. She was just about to fall asleep when Colin's phone rang loudly on the dresser. The Irishman groaned as he sat up and pulled the blankets back. Climbing to his feet he looked at the clock and groaned heavily. As he tugged his t-shirt into place he walked over to the table and picked up the phone. Squinting against the brightness of the screen he groaned heavily.

"Kate. It's tree in de mornin'" he said in a thick brogue.

He straightened as he listened and nodded, "Aye, hole' on."

Colin carried the cell phone to the bed and tossed it down next to Liv before climbing back in, "It'd be yer sisder." He pulled the blankets over him and went back to sleep with his back to her.

Liv sat up and put the phone to her ear. "Katie?"

"Um not exactly." A husky voice echoed through the phone.

Liv groaned as she flopped back into bed, "hey, Janie. Everything okay?"

"Actually it's Abbie." Came the reply, "I'm sorry to wake you up, Olivia, but I need to talk to you."

That voice, hinted with a slight Texas twang, ran all of the sleep from her. She sat up again and adjusted the strap of her tank top. "Abbie. You have Kate's phone? Is she okay?"

"Yeah," Abbie said quietly, "She's asleep with her fiance Rick. I came over to get some details on her case."

Liv slipped on her shoes, walked out of the loft and down the stairs to the kitchen. "Okay, so what's going on?"

"I… I need to ask you something?"

"Well I'm up so ask away?"

There was a sharp breath, "I need to know if I can trust Jane."

Liv paused at the refrigerator, "She's one of the most trust worthy I know so how do you mean?"

"Olivia, I have three boys and I need to know." She breathed again, "I need to know if she can keep them safe from him?"

She leaned against the island, the cool chill of the night raising goosebumps on her bare thighs and she wished she'd grabbed her robe. "Abbie, they'll be safer with her under fire than they are with you at home right now."

"How do you know that?" Abbie asked, "How can you know that?"

"Because Jane isn't your average person." She replied and walked to her room, "If she promised to keep your children safe, she'll guard them with her life. It's what she does, Abbie. She never makes a promise she doesn't keep, ever."

"She's never broken her promise?" Abbie asked, "Not once?"

"Never." Liv assured as she pulled on a pair of sweats over her briefs, "So, three boys huh?"

"Yeah," she replied.

Liv smiled thinking of what it would feel like to have three sons. Abbie always was the lucky one. "Last I heard you were moving in with that guy from Customs."

"He went to Homeland Security after 9-11." Abbie corrected, "a month later I was late with Jeremy, my oldest."

Liv smiled at her, "so it was rush to the alter time?"

"No." Abbie chuckled, "We waited a little and then I was late again and had Jason. We decided to wait some more and then I was late, again, and had Justin. Then we got married."

"And stopped being late." Liv smiled as she shook her head in amusement.

"I had three kids in three 'n a half years," Abbie said softly, "Justin's pregnancy was a hard one and there were complications with the delivery. While they stabilized him, they had to take all of it out to save me."

"I'm sorry, Abbie." Liv said regretfully. "I didn't know."

"Don't worry about it." Abbie replied, "It was a long time ago and I got three really great kids."

She smiled at that happy voice. "I'm glad to hear your doing so well. Your husband is a very lucky man."

"Yeah."

That one word, the way Abbie said it, Liv heard it before. Case after case, year after year at SVU. "Is he good to you?"

"My sons are going to need protection." Abbie said, changing the subject. "What happens to them if it goes sideways?"

Liv knew that pushing Abbie would be the wrong thing to do so she let it go, "Then they go with Maura, Castle, and Alexis to the safest place they could be."

"Where is that?" Abbie asked, "Not specifically because I know what Jane said and she's got no reason to trust me but.."

"But there your children." Liv ran her hand over the tattoo on her arm. "Abbie, I can't tell you that but I can tell you that it is the safest place for them to be, with everything they could want and need. They'll be well cared for, well protected, and knowing Maura like I do, well educated. It's the one thing you will not have to worry about."

"And if we fail?" Abbie asked and Liv could hear the lump in her throat, "If I die?"

"It won't." Liv said.

"But if it happens? If I can't do it?"

"Abbie, I know three people who can do this. Alex knows how Washington works but she doesn't have that thing she needs to run it to ground without compromise." Liv closed her eyes and took a breath, "Casey Novak has that tenacity but she doesn't have the experience playing on your level. You're the only one I know who has the knowledge, the experience, and the balls to do this. It's why I gave your name to them."

"Christ, Liv." Abbie said, "Why didn't we stay in touch?"

"Because I came out to you and it made you uncomfortable." Liv said plainly.

"It wasn't that." Abbie sighed, "It was the way you looked at me. My husband never looked at me the way you did and… yeah, it kinda scared me a little."

"Abbie-"

"No. No it's okay." She interjected, "my best friend is gay and trust me, she doesn't have a problem telling me I'm hotter than Laredo in July every now and again."

Liv laughed slightly, "If your as close to Jane in appearance as Maura said then I'm in agreement."

Abbie laughed again and it was a good sound, "Okay. I need to get some sleep. I have to catch a train in the morning."

"Good night, Abbie." She said softly.

"Night, Liv, and thanks for staying up with me for a while."

"Anytime." She said and hung up. "Three boys. Huh."

Liv climbed up the steps and curled back up in bed next to Colin.

"That the lawyer?" he muttered.

"Yes." She said and curled up tighter.

He noticed that and rolled over so he was facing her, "That the same one that…"

"Yes." She said and tipped her head up to look at him, "And I'm okay. I'm not carrying it around anymore."

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, "You don't have to front for me, love. I know all about heartbreak."

"You do?" she asked with her eyebrow arched, "Since when? You've never been in love with anyone that I know of."

His face fell as he said the next few words, "I was in love, once."

The hurt in his voice stopped her from inquiring any further. Instead she rolled over and gave him her back. A moment later he wrapped his muscular arm around her waist and pulled her in tight against him. "You still carry somethin'. I know you do."

She sighed as she pulled his arm against hers, "Yeah, but it's my mistake to carry, not yours and not hers."

"That I understand better than you know." He breathed as he rested his lips against the very short hair on the back of her head. "Try to get some sleep. Training starts tomorrow at 0600."

She patted his hand which was overlaying her stomach. "Good night, Boyo."

"G'nigh, Lovey." He replied sleepily.


	10. Chapter 10

**Union Station**

 **Washington D.C.**

The train pulled out of the heavy downpour that was soaking the D.C. area and slid to a smooth stop next to a busy platform. Her mind still reeling from her visit with Beckett, Abbie absently picked up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder before making her way with the rest of the fifty passengers in her car to the platform. Her Rangers cap pulled low, she stepped onto the cement and headed towards the exit.

"Abbie."

She flinched as she heard her name being called because no one was supposed to know she was on this train.

"Very good." A familiar voice said as a large figure walked next to her, "Don't look up."

She looked up to see Booth walking next to her in jeans and a Philadelphia Fliers pullover.

He smiled at her, "I said not to look up."

"Jesus, Booth." She gasped, "You gave me a friggin heart attack."

He laughed slightly, "Lets go find a coffee shop. It's cold out side."

Grumbling she followed him to the station's Morning Joe and sat down. Booth went to the counter and after what felt like a moth, he came back with two steaming cups.

"I take it your trip was what you needed?" Booth asked.

"Yeah." She said as she took a sip of the too hot macchiato. "I thought visiting the other one would have been worse but the things she said were unreal."

"And." He prompted.

She looked up at him, "Are you busy tomorrow?"

"I can get some time." He said, "Why?"

She looked deep into his dark eyes and Booth saw that angry, determined Spark Benson told him about. "Because it's time to bury this asshole. "

Booth's jaw set and he nodded his agreement, "When and where?"

"I have court tomorrow morning so one PM in my office." Abbie put a hand over Booths, "It's time to bring in my boss so bring copies of everything."

He patted her hand with his, "You got it. Tomorrow at 1:PM."

Booth stood up and taking his coffee in his hand he walked away, leaving Abbie sitting there trying to work through tomorrow's meeting. She wanted to be the one who brought this sonuvabitch down but her family came first. Despite her earlier intention to rush home, Abbie sat at the table for another fifteen minutes but in the end she hadn't come to a decision, and the thing that bothered her the most was that she'd never had a case she couldn't walk away from for her family but if she walked away from this one… Abbie had a feeling that this case would be the one she'd regret for the rest of her life.

AS Abbie got into a cab that would take her to her car, she was so engrossed in what to do that she didn't notice the man who was following her pull a cell phone out of his pocket.

"I'm at Union station and I think you'll want to know what I just saw."

* * *

"Pull whatever you can on this guy." John said into his phone as Abbie walked through the door, "No. Just have it sitting on my desk in the morning…Yeah, thanks Mitch." John slapped his phone closed and dropped it in his pocket.

Abbie set her backpack on the floor next to the pile of shoes by the door and kicked off her own. She tried to gage the mood of her husband but he was eerily unreadable.

Abbie walked towards him and slid her arms around his waist from behind. "Hi, hubby."

"Hey, honey." He replied absently.

She moved around him and looked up into his face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just got a hot tip on something." He said and there was a hardness to his eyes she didn't like. "How was your trip to New York?"

"Worse than I expected but…" her voice trailed off.

"But?"

She looked up at him and desperately wanted to tell him but as she opened her mouth, Justin ran into the room.

"Mom!" he said and ran straight into her, "Mom, I missed you."

She pulled him close and held him tight. Though she tried not to dote on him excessively, Justin would always be her baby boy, her miracle child. Even when he turns thirty.

"Hey. How did you do against Mount Vernon?"

"Dad?" Justin asked.

"They smoked 'em." John said proudly. "Seven to two."

"Alright!" she shouted and held her hand up, "Gimme some."

Justin slapped his hand against hers, "Jason was MVP."

"He was?!" Abbie gasped, "That's my boys!"

She pulled him into another hug and ruffled his short curly black hair. "Way to go, partner."

He smiled and clung to her as Jason came out of his room with a black eye.

Abbie's eyes widened. "Jason! What happened?"

"You like it?" he said proudly, "Caught a hot grounder at second and tagged a guy out."

"Yeah, he caught the grounder with his eye." John chuckled loudly, "But he did tag out on second and threw one-eyed to first. Almost had the second kid."

Abbie went to one knee and cupped her son's face. "Did you ice it? At all?"

He shook his head, "Heck no. I want all my boys to see it at school tomorrow."

John chuckled as he finished putting away the dinner dishes.

"And you're okay with this" she barked to her husband, who hadn't stopped laughing yet. Abbie threw her hands up, "Of course you are."

"I might have said something manly about it." He kept his back to her so she couldn't see his grin.

"Chicks dig it." Jason said.

Abbie narrowed her eyes on him, "Chicks dig it?! That's your father talking and here's a piece of advice about girls. We don't actually like being called chicks."

John was laughing so hard he had to set the stack of plates down on the counter. She glared over her shoulder at him. Her husband was ever determined to turn their sons in to skirt chasing alpha males. Though Abbie did want them to be strong, and intelligent men one day. She wasn't sure the world was ready for three more hyper masculine Griffins running around.

Thank god Jeremy is my responsible one. He was the most like his father. From his looks down to his mannerisms, Jeremy was John Griffin's son but thankfully he also had his mother's character.

"Wheres Jeremy?" She asked, realizing that her eldest wasn't here.

"He's studying." Justin exaggerated his mocking tone.

Jason added to it with his own mock, "I have a test on Monday."

Abbie scowled, "Hey, don't be making fun of any man who takes care of his responsibilities."

John stopped laughing and glared at her, "What does that mean?"

"Exactly what I said," she said coolly, "Don't mock a man for doing what he's supposed to do."

She hugged both of her boys and stood up to go check on her oldest. True to their words, Jeremy was sitting in the gaming chair his father had bought him. Jeremy had a computer, an Xbox, and a Playstation all hooked up to a 38 inch flat screen, the gaming consoles and TV were a gift from his father, the computer from her and just like she'd always seen before, the computer was up on the screen with science information displayed, Jeremy's gaming chair was hooked up to his iPod, The Fray - Over my head was quietly emanating from the speakers that were built into the headrest.

"Hey." She said softly as she leaned in.

Jeremy looked up and smiled at her, "Hi, did you see Jason?"

"The conquering hero?" she joked, "Yeah I saw him."

Jeremy laughed, "Yeah, it was a heck of a shot he took but he held it together. He didn't want to swap out. The coach practically dragged him to the dugout."

"Helluvan eleven year old." She said.

Jeremy nodded, "Yeah, but maybe just a little too much."

"What do you mean?" Abbie asked, not really understanding him.

He smiled and leaned back in his chair, "Middle child syndrome. He goes the extra mile to make sure he's noticed."

"I don't think that's the case." She said, "But if you want to put together a case, I'll happily argue it for you."

Laughing Jeremy shook his head, "Thanks but I don't need a lawyer. I just need to ace this test."

She walked up next to him and looked down at the books in his hands and then at the screen on the wall. "What is a polyatomic ion? I thought molecules were flat."

He chuckled, "No offense but science has advanced a lot since you were in school."

She huffed, cocked a hip and shoved a fist onto it, "I'll have you know that I'm not that old."

"No mom, your not old, the science and technology had an explosive development curve." He tapped something on the keyboard and then there was a tone. Jeremy spoke out loud, "What is the length of play for the most common portable music devices from the 1990s compared to todays portable devices?"

He smiled at her as the computer chimed and a disembodied female voice spoke from the speakers.

"In the 1990's, the most portable form of music play was the compact CD player. Capable of storing 74 minutes of music per side. In 2015, Apple released the iPod touch, the sixth generation portable device, when combined with the latest generation micro SD card can store enough music for over six days of continuous play without repeating the play list."

She glared at him, "Okay, wise guy, do it again. I want to ask a question."

He pressed the key again and the tone sounded.

"How long will Jeremy Griffin be grounded for making his mother feel old?"

His smile fell as his computer responded.

"According to his Face space profile, Jeremy Griffin has been grounded for two weeks for offending Abigail Carmichael Griffin."

She laughed and put a hand on his shoulder. "Okay, technology is way better than I was a kid."

He smiled nervously at her, "So how was your trip?"

"Informative." She said, "I got everything I needed and a lot I didn't."

"Miss Cabot go with you?" he asked in a smirk.'

"No." She said in warning, "Alex got a big case of her own."

He chuckled, "Okay well, Dad watched us play over the weekend and I think he was surprised at how well we did."

"I heard you sent Mount Vernon home scared.."

He laughed, "Actually, my team lost four to five."

"Winning isn't everything." She said and put her hand on his shoulder, "Baseball is also about having fun playing the game."

"Two weeks and we play Fairfax." He said, their a really great team."

"And you'll do great, I know it." She looked over the stack of books on his desk and shook her head, "Don't stay up too late."

He sighed and rolled his eyes, "Yes, Mommy."

She arched a brow at him, "You want to update your Facespace status or should I?"

He laughed as she bent over and kissed his head before ruffling his hair.

* * *

"So, how was New York?' John asked again.

Abbie frowned as she dropped her clothes into the laundry basket and set aside her back pack. "It went okay, not the way I wanted but I think Charlie will be satisfied with it."

Standing in the closet, he was pulling out a suit for work and exchanging clothes for his go bag. He paused and looked over his shoulder at her, "So it's not your case?"

She shrugged, "It's just legwork. Charlie thinks I'm in the office too much as it is."

He turned away and closed his eyes as he packed another pair of jeans. "You know, I was thinking that we could all use a vacation."

Abbie picked up the basket of clothes and carried it into the bathroom, "The kids are in school, John."

"Yeah, but I was thinking we could do something over Christmas break."

She finished emptying the hamper and smiled, "I thought we were going to your parents place in Pennsylvania."

John nodded to himself, "I was thinking maybe a week in Aspen. We can go skiing."

She carried the basket out and set it by the door, "Skiing?"

He smiled at her, "Yeah, skiing."

Abbie shuttered, "You do know that I'm from Dallas. That kind of cold. Brr."

He laughed, "I think you'd make a great snow bunny if you tried it."

She smiled and chuckled, "A snow bunny? Wow. More like a Popsicle."

He dropped the bag on the floor and swept her into his arms, to kiss her. "I know some ways to keep you warm."

She leaned back from him playfully, "You do?"

John stole a kiss from her and grinned, "Yeah, I do. But…" his hand reached out and shut the bedroom door before relocking around her slender waist, "Maybe I should show you how I can keep you warm."

This was the fun, playful john that she married all those years ago and as his visits were becoming less frequent,Abbie wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth though she was sure brooding, suspicious John would be back soon. But for now at least, she let her heart go and welcomed her husbands touch. "Well maybe you should."

John grinned as he bent down and nibbled at her neck and pushed her down onto the bed gently, "Practice makes perfect."


	11. Chapter 11

**DHS Headquarters**

 **Washington D.C.**

John walked onto the third floor of Building 33 of the Nebraska Avenue Complex. A former Naval facility, DHS had been moved there right from inception and it would continue to function there until it's headquarters was completed in Anacostia. The first thing john saw as he walked in to their workspace was his partner Jake Acevedo shamelessly flirting with his very pretty secretary. The dark haired Latino smiled wide and said something that had her laughing. John, who had long held true to the belief that you don't rut in your office space cleared his throat.

"Morning John." Jake said with a smile, "I was just telling Sarah about those cheap pickup lines Carl was using on Saturday over at Lennie's."

His secretary grinned again, "Every time I think I've heard them all Carl comes up with something new and Jake here is just dying to share them with me."

"I'll bet." John grunted, "Did you get me what I asked for?"

His partner held up an envelope, "Yep, whataya say we take a look?"

John unlocked his office door and let Jake in before turning back to Sarah. "Any messages waiting?"

She nodded and held up a slip of paper, "Someone named Ella Poe wanted you to call her this afternoon. She said you'd know when she goes on shift."

"Thanks." He said and took the paper.

"I'd set up the appointment for you but I don't have any contact information for Ella Poe and she refuses to leave her number." Her voice was frustrated.

He smiled reassuringly, "It's a CI that sometimes gives me information. She's not going to leave any info and she's off the book so there's no sheet on her."

She smirked at him in that naughty way, "Bad boy." She chided, trying to look cute.

"Just an underpaid public servant like yourself. Take down any calls. I'm working out an Op with Jake for a while."

She nodded and sat down at her desk as he went in and locked the door.

"Man, If you aren't going to hit that, at least open it up for me."

John shook his head at his partner. "Forget it, she can't keep her mouth shut. And besides. Odds are she'll get fed up and quit for Justice or Quantico, or become a White house intern."

Jake smiled, "I know, that's why I want to play Oval Office, Clinton Style." He started laughing as he opened the large envelope to reveal a file.

"Which Clinton?" he said. "From what I hear they both like interns on their knees."

Jake laughed again and handed over the file. "This is the guy I saw Abbie with at Union Station yesterday. He's one of ours."

"DHS?" John asked.

"FBI." Came the reply. "Part of the Special Investigations Division. Specifically, he's the Liaison to the Jeffersonian's Medico Legal Forensics Lab."

John leaned back in his chair, "Why would Abbie be meeting with the Jeffersonian Liaison?"

"Don't know." Jake said and plopped onto the couch next to the wall, "I went there as you asked after I lost her at Penn Station. I know she went to New York and hopped the Subway but that's as far as I got. I was at Union Station waiting for her like you asked and I saw her get off the train. This guy got up off the bench and met up with her. They sat down at the Morning Joe's for a good half hour but I couldn't hear what they were talking about."

John finally leaned towards his desk and flipped through the file. He stopped as he saw the picture. "I've seen him before."

Jake sat up, "Where?"

"At my house." John growled, "He was at my house a few months ago, Abbie was in his car looking over a file. She said he wanted a consult on a case. Later she said the case was dropped."

"No case that hits that guy's desk gets dropped." Jake said pointedly. "He investigates hard to identify bodies and once he and that team set their sights on it, it doesn't get dropped, it gets solved."

John flipped through page after page of Booth's file, "Married to Dr. Temperance Brennan of the Jeffersonian, with one child, Christine."

"My guy at Hoover said Brennan is expecting again."

"Decorated Veteran, Ranger Sniper. Highly decorated Agent, teaches at Quantico when he's not tied up with cases." John slapped the file closed, "Does this seem like the kind of guy who'd fuck around on his wife with another man's wife."

"Hoover and Quantico both rave about the man's loyalties." Jake said, "Though a pregnant wife can be a turnoff for any man."

"He wasn't in New York?"

"Nope," Jake said firmly, "I did some checking and he and his wife," Jake stood up and looked at the file, "Bones… were out at a grizzly murder scene in Tallahassee. I've got seventeen witnesses to it."

John closed the file on his desk and leaned back again, "So if Abbie's not fucking this guy, then why is she disappearing every other week on Tuesday and what the hell is going on in New York?"

"Don't know that either." Jake ran a hand through his short hair, "Booth has been to New York City twice in a month but he didn't go there with anything and he didn't come back with anyone. But there's one thing that I can tell you."

"What's that?" John asked.

"I got a friend who helped me out with Penn Stations CCTV system. Abbie got off the DC connector and moved two platforms over to the New England Connector."

"The stops?"

"Hartford, Providence, Boston, and Concord." He said, "New York is out of her jurisdiction since she works the D.C. District. So that means the New England Capitals are way out of bounds."

"That means it's personal." John said. "How sure are you that Abbie hopped the Subway this time?"

"I saw her on the train with my own eyes," he said, "Maybe she saw me following her."

"I doubt it." John said, "She's smart but…maybe she was just using a different routing to get there." John turned on his computer and accessed the transit authority schedule in and out of New York City.

"The train you said she was on does run to Kennedy Airport." He scrolled through the airline information, "And there's a puddle jumper to Concord that afternoon. Nothing for Providence, Boston or Hartford."

"What you want to do?" Jake asked.

"First, She's lying about where she's been and what she's doing so whatever it is, it's either an affair or it's business." He sighed and leaned back again, cupping his hands together behind his head as he regarded his friend, "The easiest way to find out which one is to visit my little birdie over at Justice. She can sniff around and find out if Abbie's on a multi jurisdictional case."

"And the second?" Jake asked with a grin.

"Second, I need to make arrangements to pay my birdie." He grinned, "Informants don't work for free."

 **Office of United States Attorney Charles Bellamy**

 **Washington DC**

Signing off on a Witness Protection Approval, he sighed as another criminal got away with crimes just to save his own skin. But the information the new witness provided was well worth the pardon. Besides, if the criminal slipped up just enough, he'd get bounced back here for trial. Charlie was the one who had added that clause to the Witsec Document and he was assured that it would be added to their Memorandum of Understanding before the witness arrived at… wherever the hell he was going.

"Nick Devalos," he said out loud, "Hope to see you back here after trial so you can get yours."

He slid the page into the envelope for the US Marshal Service. They'd send an Inspector over to retrieve it and the other documents this afternoon. The next file on his stack of paperwork was one of Abbie's cases. He smiled warmly as he reviewed the file. For the last ten years Abbie Griffin had been a hell of a prosecutor and once again, he was happy that he'd poached her from the New York Office. It was a decision that he'd never once regretted and was often proud of. He reviewed the findings, evidence, court recordings, and transcripts. She was thorough and concise, an a no holds barred fighter in the court. For the last three years he'd assigned her to more than two dozen high profile cases, several of them as his second chair. She'd only lost twice in the last three years and those were part of a series of weak cases handed down from some other prosecutor who was fired. She'd won five and lost two, better than the other two prosecutors he'd given the rest of the caseload to.

Finding her very neat handwritten notes on the case, he flipped through and found what he thought he'd find. A very well laid case that resulted in two lifetime sentences. He thought it a waste of time reviewing her cases since he knew that she'd done everything possible. He trusted her judgment implicitly. But as her boss he had an obligation to look over everyone's cases without exception but Abbie was the only choice to replace him should he be appointed Attorney General as his dear friend, Republican favorite Marcus Grissom had assured him would be his first order of business should he win the election. He signed his name on the final report and closed the file, stacking it on the others.

He was reaching for the next one when a knock sounded on his door. Since his secretary Sylvia hadn't announced who it was, Charlie knew who was outside. The only person he had a completely open door policy with.

"Come in, Abbie." He said as he opened the file in front of him.

Abbie stepped in and closed the door behind her, that in itself was enough to catch his attention.

"Something on your mind?" he asked.

"Yeah, um." She moved to sit in front of his desk, "I have a really big case I've been working on."

He frowned at her, "I didn't think the Jorgensen case was that big. Something develop I wasn't aware of?"

She shook her head, "No, that's going to be done this week but I've been working this one on the side."

His eyes widened, "Abigail."

"I know, we've always talked about what I was doing but after you hear the details of this one, you'll understand why I kept it quiet."

Charlie frowned, closed the file in front of him and picked up the phone. "Sylvia, hold all calls for me would you please? Thank you."

He set it down and leaned back in his chair, cupping his hands together. "Okay, tell me what's got you of all people looking like she's in the principal's office."

* * *

Booth sat quietly in the waiting area with the complete and undisclosed files in his hand. Abbie had gone into her boss's office nearly fifteen minutes ago and he was only waiting for her to come and get him. He'd never met USA Bellamy but Abbie had assured him multiple times that he was one of the good guys. Booth had asked Caroline Julian about him and found that he'd fought several cases on principle alone. He wasn't afraid to stand up against a judge or the DOJ, and he'd spent several nights in the Court cells for Contempt of Court. Honestly, Booth had wished he had met Bellamy before. He had several cases where the man's tenacity could have swayed verdicts.

His thoughts were interrupted by the double doors opening and Abbie sticking her head out, "Booth."

He rose up to his feet and nodded to the brunette behind the desk as he walked towards the door.

Bellamy stood at six foot three, had a thin frame, light blonde hair, and deep blue eyes. the vaguest appearance of a five o'clock shadow just beginning to darken his jaw. His suit was what one would expect of a well paid attorney, not Armani, but a well priced off the rack that had been tailored to fit him. What booth hadn't expected was for a man in his late fifties to look like he was in his late thirties.

Bellamy frowned at him thoughtfully, and waved a finger at him, "Madison Grille. You were at the table before we arrived."

The name sent recognition through him, "I remember. I thought you were one of her coworkers or something."

"FBI Special Agent Booth," Abbie said and turned to her boss, "USA Charles Bellamy."

"I understand that you have been stealing my best litigator for your case." Bellamy shook hands with Booth and moved back to his chair.

"I needed someone I could trust." Booth said and joined him by sitting in the seat that didn't have Abbie''s jacket draped over it. "Abbie came highly recommended."

"AUSA Julian too much for you?" he chuckled. "My understanding is that you have a long history with Caroline, it's why I assigned her to the Jeffersonian cases when I was given this office."

"This case didn't come from the Jeffersonian." Abbie said calmly as she sat down. "I've been assisting Agent Booth's investigation into a Senator of the United States."

Bellamy's eyes widened, "Are you joking? You're looking in to a US senator and you don't think that I should get a head's up?" He paused and leaned forward, "Tell me it's not Grissom."

"It's not, Charlie." Abbie said, "Believe me, If it was Marcus, I would have sent Booth to the DOJ specifically to avoid putting you in that position."

Bellamy breathed again, "I sincerely hope that what you have isn't circumstantial."

"It's solid." Booth said. "That's why I asked Abbie to help me put the case together for trial. I know that despite claims to the contrary, the burden of proof against a sitting Senator is far beyond what I've previously dealt with."

"And you didn't tell me about this, why?" He asked Abbie.

"Because who we're going after is very dangerous." Abbie said, "Charlie, I didn't consult with Booth on his case lightly. This guy has already had others killed and I wasn't about to put you, me, Booth, or our families in danger so we dug the well very quietly."

"Not to mention that there are others involved in this that are in danger too." Booth said, "There are two detectives who put me on this case and as soon as the suspect gets even a hint that he's being looked at, hell kill them and their families in a hurry. I can't let that happen either."

Bellamy closed his eyes and sighed, "Abbie, give it to me straight. How serious is this?"

"It's bad, Charlie." She raised her hand to her head and rested it on her fingertips, "A man who has ties to a drug cartel in Colombia has the finances from several major narcotics organizations and the morality of a Gatling Gun wants to get elected to the Presidency and if we don't bring him down, he very well might get there."

"If what you're saying is true, this could be the most dangerous case ever to cross my desk." Bellamy said and looked straight at Abbie. "Thank you for bringing this to me and for your discretion. If you will excuse us Abbie."

She glanced to Booth and back to Charlie. "You're asking me to leave?"

"Yes, I am." He said, "Focus on the Jorgensen case. Booth and I will discuss his case carefully."

Abbie nodded, stood up and shook Booth's hand, "Good luck, Seeley."

After she'd left Bellamy turned towards Booth. "I see now why you didn't bring in Caroline. Regardless of her previous involvement, I do not want Abbie involved any further."

"Sir, with all respect, I can't think of a better person to try this case." Booth replied. "She was there for every major discovery and knows the case from front to back."

"But Abbie has a very good career ahead of her, Agent Booth." Bellamy said, "And this case is will put an end to that career."

"Sir, with all due respect-"

"Please, don't." Charlie said holding up a hand to him, "Let's see what you have and then we can go over who will try the case."

Booth sighed and handed over the thick file in his hand, "This is what we're looking at."

Bellamy took the file and set it in front of him.

"Who's your suspect?" He said and opened the manila folder.

"New York Senator William Bracken."

Bellamy looked through the file carefully from cover to cover. Asking Booth questions about his leads and his evidence and about the dangers involved. What he found was appalling and more than anything, he was grateful that Booth hadn't gone with a full out investigation, more than likely following Abbie's instruction. He could see her touch all over the case. Finally Charlie closed the file and set it on his desk.

"This case is going to shake Washington to it's foundations." Bellamy said finally, "The sheer scope and weight of it means that I am the only one here who can prosecute it."

"Abbie said that you're a shoe in for AG should the republicans win the election." Booth replied as he picked up his coat. "This case will end that for you."

Nodding solemnly, Bellamy looked up at Booth. "Yes, however I have a responsibility to the people to seek justice and protect the constitution. I'm the logical choice for the case, I have the experience and the conviction to see it through."

"There has to be someone else." Booth said. "Someone who is ready to take the heat."

"Who, Agent Booth." Bellamy replied firmly, "Crossing Abbie's name off the top of a very short list of capable attorneys leaves four others. First being Alexandra Cabot, she's got a very good understanding of both Law and Politics. She's experienced and driven."

"I know of Cabot." Booth leaned forward, "I have it on good authority that her political ambitions would get in the way of the trial."

"Are you referring to her desire to run for New York Senator." Bellamy cupped his hands, "Because if Bracken Goes down, it gives her the chance to replace him in the Senate."

"That could look like a perceived agenda." Booth sighed.

"Yes, it would." Charlie sighed. "According to to Abbie, she'd turn the case down just for that alone."

"Not to mention as an up and coming politician, who really knows who she owes political markers to. One thing that is very clear is that Bracken is owed more favors than he himself owes. The possibility of one of the Senator's supporting parties not having a marker with Cabot can't be left to chance."

"Which lead us to Adam Sullivan." Charlie waved a hand, "He's a good man, good history, with the right back ground. Very skilled at these kind of high publicity cases."

"I know him from one of my cases, he was a great attorney once but he's quick to settle now." Booth argued. "I can't conduct a RICO investigation if he pleas out."

"Kimberly Greylek from the Justice Department." Bellamy suggested.

"I've heard far too many things about Greylek for my liking." Booth said, "I've heard that she's a crusader but I've had more than a few people tell me that she's the only one really saying that."

"I've hear her say the same thing." Bellamy chuckled, "Constance Griffiths. She's a newer attorney from Los Angeles but she's had a few headlines. Particularly with the Seybolt triple murder."

"I read about that one." Booth thought about the name and then it dawned on him, "Wait, I know her, She was the attorney who got that cop cleared of the life sentence after twelve years."

"And that puts her in a very objective light." Charlie said, "She gets a wrongly accused man out of prison after twelve years then buries a US Senator for treason. But this is the kind of case you retire from, not start a career on. Simply put, Agent Booth, there is no one who I can in good conscience lay this case on."

"Sir, with all due respect," Booth leaned forward and cupped his hands together. "Abbie told me a lot about you and what your going to do as the Attorney General, and with respect, we need someone like that in that office."

"Abbie is not trying this case, Booth." Bellamy reaffirmed. "I am and I do not want her involved or have anything further to do with this case!"

He sat up a little higher and looked at the lawyer, "Why is it so important for Abbie to stay out of this?"

Bellamy shook his head, "Because when I'm gone, Abbie is going to take my place as the USA for DC. In a few years she may just end up being the US Attorney General and she'll be far better at it than I'll ever be. But if she's in on this one, she'll go down with the rest of us and I care about her far to much to let her fall on her sword. That's my job as her boss, to protect and to serve. I will protect her, Agent Booth, and I'll serve the citizens of the United States by bringing down a traitor."

* * *

"Mom?"

Abbie looked up from the empty garbage bag she was replacing under the kitchen sink to see her son standing in the hallway, dressed for bed, but with his hand on the wall. She quickly checked her watch and frowned. "Jeremy, you're supposed to be in bed. Remember the game tomorrow?"

He came into the kitchen and picked up the full bag, "I can't sleep."

He opened the back door and put the bag in the roll out can. When he came back inside his mother was warming up a small sauce pan of milk and pouring Swiss Miss in it. She could see that he was antsy as he shut the door and leaned on it, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm sure it's just pregame jitters. Fairfax is a tough team." She said as she poured the pan into a coffee mug and stirred it.

"It's not the game, Mom." He said as she placed the cup on the table. "It's you."

She looked up at him and her deep brown eyes searched his, "Me!?"

He walked over to the table and sat down, taking the mug into his hands "There's something going on lately and it's bothering you."

She sighed heavily and went back to the sink to rinse out the pan before placing it in the dishwasher. "Look, your dad and I-"

"It's not Dad." He cut her off. Abbie turned sideways to look at him. "When you and dad fight, it's like you become supermom. You hover right over all of us trying to be there for us, keep us distracted. But, when something bothers you like whatever it is, you make comfort food like the smoked briskets, okra, and black beans we had tonight."

"Jeremy." She said and went to sit next to him. "It's not like that."

"You haven't used the smoker in the back yard in two years." He looked at her with a disbelieving expression. "Want to tell another one, Counselor?"

Abbie narrowed her eyes, her voice hardening to a mother's stern tone. "Jeremy Malcolm Griffin. Don't you take that tone with me or call me counselor again. I get enough of both at work."

He crossed his arms and stared defiantly, "Then don't act like a lawyer. I know that something is bothering you."

 _Gah, sometimes I hate how smart you are._ Abbie closed her eyes and thought hard about what she was going to say. Finally she came to a decision.

"Come with me." She gently grabbed his shoulder and walked towards her bedroom.

Jeremy followed her but actually got nervous when she lead him inside. His parents room had always been off limits to him and his brothers except for when one of them was really in trouble.

She pointed to the king size bed centered on one wall, "Sit."

He complied, reluctantly, as she stood arms crossed just like she would if he was in trouble.

"Remember a few weeks ago I told you that I got offered a big case?"

That was when Jeremy saw it. His mother was nervous about something, agitated even. What ever was going on, it was really bothering her.

"Yeah." He said straightly. "You said he hurts people."

"He kills people, Jeremy." She said leaning closer towards him, "I don't want the case because the bad guy would do anything to anyone to stop the trial. You and your brothers are all that matters to me, but this guy is really dangerous and wouldn't hesitate to come after you."

"What about Dad?" Jeremy asked, thinking that this was the kind of thing he should be here for.

"Your dad is a federal agent. He can take care of himself." She knew he'd pick up on her evading that thought. "You and your brothers on the other hand I'd have to send away to someplace safe where I know this guy can't get you."

There it was again, the idea that their family would have to split up and his father was again left out of it. Jeremy again started to wonder if they were going to get a divorce. But maybe this was a blessing in disguise.

Jeremy focused his attention on her, "Mom, I told you that I'll look after them and that you shouldn't let this guy get away with whatever he's doing."

"I know." She said as she st down next to him and put an arm around him. "But you boys are my whole life. Without you nothing else matters. The charges are serious, the trial will be dangerous, and there are people that I barely know who are willing to put their lives on the line for me, and that more than anything is messing with my head."

Jeremy thought about what she was saying, about him, Jason and Justin being sent away. "Where would we go?"

"Far away," she said, "I can't tell you much right now but they're good people, good cops."

"And they can they keep us safe?" He asked her.

"There's one that I met, she said she'll keep you boys with her..." Abbie's voice trailed off.

"Her...?" Jeremy prompted.

Abbie looked at him trying to decide something. Finally she sucked in a breath, "Okay. I'm going to tell you something, but you can't say anything about it to anyone, not to your dad, your brothers, no one. It's that important."

"Okay?" He said, his attention firmly locked on her.

"Jeremy I'm serious. Until I make that call you have to keep it to yourself."

He nodded. "I got it. I never told Dad about you and Miss Cabot going out that weekend. Remember the one."

"Shut up." She groaned, remembering when she and her friend had ditched their responsibilities and spent a weekend in Atlantic City. "You've got a memory like an elephant."

He chuckled. "Okay Mom I promise, I won't say anything."

She glared at him, but nodded. "There is this person that I met. She's tied to the case and she's offered to take you, Justin, and Jason in while I do what I have to do here."

"And you're not sure if we'll be safe."

"No that's the thing, I believe her when she says you'll be safe, but there's two things you should know. The first is that she's married... to another woman."

"So she's gay." He shrugged. "You taught us never to judge people that way."

She nodded. "A lesson I learned from an old friend I had in New York."

"So what's the big deal?" He asked as she got up and picked her cell phone up off the bathroom counter.

"The big deal is that Jane looks almost exactly like me." She brought up a picture and handed it to him. "Can you tell the difference?"

His eyes widened at the image. A pretty blonde woman about his mother's age sat in between what looked like two of his mom.

"Holy cow!" He exclaimed and looked up at her. "Is she like your lost twin or something?"

Abbie shook her head, "She's six years younger than me and she's Italian, not Scottish. The woman in the middle is her wife and Jane promised me that no matter what happens, you boys will stay with her wife and you'll be safe."

He stared at the picture. "You believe her?"

Abbie nodded, "I do. Alex knows them too and said they won't let anything happen to you there."

Jeremy sighed. "How long would we be gone?"

Abbie shook her head. "I don't know for sure, a couple of weeks before the arrest is made and I send you away. A month or two after that for trial."

"What about Dad?" He asked.

"He can't just leave." She said, "and when we make the arrest and the news breaks, Jane won't let anyone she doesn't know anywhere near Maura for fear of her being hurt. You guys will be right there with her too so I know you'll be safe."

Jeremy's eyes drifted down to the floor as he contemplated what she was saying. The woman in the picture must be someone special for his mom to entrust her with their safety. But just what his mom said about Jane not letting anyone near Maura told him that their dad wouldn't know where they are. She wouldn't do something like this if it wasn't important. His dad however, Jeremy didn't want to think about what his dad would do when he came home to an empty house, but he felt that he had to remind her.

"Dad will go ape shit when he finds us gone."

"Watch your mouth!" She scolded.

"It's the truth, Mom. You know how Dad is, what he's been like lately. You think I don't know, but I do. Maybe while we're gone you guys can work things out."

"I haven't made up my mind," she said and sat down next to him again. "I can walk away and keep you safe."

Jeremy took her hand. "But it's not the right thing to do. The right thing to do is to stand up for what you believe in. You've always stood up for the people who got hurt and you said they're good people. You should take the case and stand up for them. It's going to suck not having you around, but you believe in this or you wouldn't be so torn. We've always out weighed your cases until this one. So it must be pretty important."

She nodded, "It is."

He stood up and pulled her up to her feet. "Do what's right, Mom. Take the case."

She hugged him, harder than he liked but he didn't complain.

She cupped the back of his head like when he was a baby. "Quit growing up on me."

He smiled into her shoulder. "I can't help that."

She nodded and let him go, "Now go drink your cocoa and go to sleep. You've got a big game tomorrow."

He nodded, kissing her cheek and left the room.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Okay, so i know the last couple of chapters were kind of information overload and that there are a few different lines running at once but stick with me here. I don't have any action in the next two chapters but trust me, the one after that is going to start some stuff. Lots of action and ofcourse danger. So wrapping up one side story here for possible use later. That would be the Criminal Minds lineup. Sending you a double header so next week we can get to the really good parts. Enjoy and take a moment to leave a remark because these are not the final drafts.**_

* * *

 **Griffin Residence**

 **Alexandria, Va.**

Abbie packed up the last duffel bag that her sons would need for their trip to Boston. Though she'd been able to prepare Jeremy for the trip, her chest ached at the thought of the scare she was about to give Justin and Jason. They wouldn't know anything about the trip until Abbie and Booth picked them up from school. But despite the constant jokes, ribbing and teasing, they both looked up to Jeremy which was why Booth's team was picking him up first. She wouldn't actually be allowed to go into the school to get them but she would be in the van with Booth. She hated it, they would be scared at the men in black who were whisking them away with no word from their parents but Booth assured her that it would only be for ten minutes before they were in the van with her. Once they were en route, she'd tell them about the trip.

She sighed as she set the bag down near the door and looked at her watch. Quarter to nine.

It was almost time. She thought about her husband and the way he'd react over them missing. Her son was right. John _would_ go ape shit. His sons were the thing he loved most, even more than he ever loved her. Abbie couldn't blame him, she felt the same way. But she couldn't just disappear on him for however long this took so she went back into the kitchen and pulled out a notepad from the junk drawer and a pen. Abbie sat down at the table and began to write him an explanation note.

There was a knock on the door and Abbie called out, "Come in, Booth."

The agent walked in with another equally impressive man in a suit. Abbie didn't bother to look up until she was done.

"Abbie? Are these the bags?" Booth asked.

"Yeah." She said and continued writing, "That'll take care of them for a week."

The other man looked out the front door and called out, "Reed, the bags."

"On it." Said a large well built black man. He walked in and picked up the three duffels and the roll-away suitcase. He then disappeared out the front door but he was replaced by a very tall woman.

"Abbie, this is SSA Weller." Booth said, "He's with the Critical Incident Unit of the CIRG and he's going to assist us in the move."

Abbie nodded but kept writing, "I'll be right with you."

She finished the letter and stood up. She placed it under a magnet on the refrigerator and turned back to her FBI agent and his team.

She regarded the two people who had joined Booth inside her home. One was a man so that was Weller. He was tall, good looking and had an unrefined edge to him that would be appealing to most women. It was that unclean shaven look, and judging by the athletic and nearly equally tall brunette's body language, she was one of them. A tattoo of a bird was poking out of her jacket on one side of her slender neck.

"I'm sorry," Abbie said as she finally came forward, "This whole thing has me a little paranoid."

Weller nodded, "Understandable, ma'am."

"Ma'am is what you call my mother." She replied. "I'm not old yet so Abbie will work for now."

"Mrs Griffin." Weller said, "Agent Booth has kept me appraised of your situation but not your investigation. We'll see to it that both you and your family are moved safely, however my supervisor will not authorize and extended mission. Agent Booth also said that he has a specialized team should this go hot."

"I understand Agent Weller." She said, "I appreciate you taking the time to assist us-"

"However." Weller interrupted, "Should you need the assistance of me or my team you only need to call me from whatever phone you can get your hands on."

Booth patted his pocket, "I've got a clean encrypted phone here for you with Weller's number. I'll also have you memorize it when we get to the safehouse."

Abbie nodded and looked at the woman, "I don't know you."

"Jane." She said and held out a tattooed hand.

Abbie shook it, and glanced at Weller, "Just Jane."

"Jane is a consultant and before you ask, she is a highly valued member of my team." Weller said, "But for security reasons, her name is Jane Doe."

"Sounds like CIA to me." Abbie said her eyes never leaving the woman's green eyes.

She snorted, "That'll be the day."

Abbie's face lifted into a lopsided smile, "I don't buy their bullshit either, and I'm a republican."

There was the briefest blank expression from Jane Doe that gave Abbie the impression that she'd said something the woman didn't understand. But it was gone as quick as it had come.

"So let's get her in the van and we can head over to the school to get the kids." Weller said to Booth.

"Ready?" He asked Abbie.

She looked around her home and took a deep breath before she closed her eyes and nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

"Jane." Weller said and the woman walked to the front door. Abbie followed her, guided by Booth. Weller stepped to the refrigerator and pulled the paper off of the fridge. His thought was to look in the letter for anything that might lead someone to her. What he found was more revealing about her than her location.

 _ **John,**_

 _ **I now this is going to make you mad, but the kids and I aren't coming home. It's not because of us, it's because I'm working a really important case and it's a bad one. I sent the boys away with some friends where they'll be safe until it's over. I can't tell you where right now, but I promise they'll be safe. I'm in a safe house for now and I want you to be careful since they could come after you, too. Keep your gun loaded. Hopefully when the case is done, you and I can talk about this. I know that we haven't been the best to each other lately, but I love you and I want to work it out. I'll be thinking of you while I'm gone and more than anything I wish I could see you, but until the FBI finish their threat assessment, I have to stay hidden, even from you. The Agent in Charge said that's protocol.**_

 _ **When I can I'll call you and let you know what's going on and we can make arrangements to see the boys.**_

 _ **I love you, hubby. You and no other.**_

 _ **Abbie**_

Weller recognized a troubled marriage when he saw it. Maybe the time away could do them some good. But he rehung the note on the fridge under the Virginia Health-plan magnet and headed out. Weller locked the door and closed it behind him and as the black Freightliner Van backed out of the driveway, but what Weller didn't know was that no one in the Griffin family used that magnet to hold anything up because Justin demagnetized it during a science experiment a year ago. Abbie only kept it because of the information on it. As the magnet slowly lost it's grip on the steel of the door until a few minutes later, it fell to the floor and the paper drifted, twisted and dived like a leaf from a tree. It gently turned and then, as the edge cut through the air, it sailed in an arc across the floor and came to rest face up beneath the kitchen table.

 **Office of USA Charles Bellamy.**

 **a few hours later...**

Bellamy came in late from court the next morning to find Abbie sitting in his chair behind his desk, "A little presumptuous aren't you." He joked, "I haven't been promoted yet."

"Trying to decide if I even want to be here anymore." She said coldly. "I brought you the biggest case this office has seen in the last century and you shut me out, completely."

He took off his over coat and hung it up on the coat rack, "Yes, I did. Because it is career suicide."

"That doesn't give you the right to make those choices for me!" she shouted.

"No." he agreed, "But being your boss most certainly does. Think about your family, Abbie."

"I've made arrangements for my family, Charlie." She snapped again, "It's my case."

"No." he said and removed his blazer. "Its my case, Abbie, and I want you as far away from it as I can get you. I need you to take over for me when I'm gone. It's the only thing that hasn't changed."

"I'm the one who did all the leg work, Charlie. Me. I went to talk to the victims. I've stayed with them overnight, talked to them, seen what he's done to them."

"Abbie."

"I don't care, Charlie." She said coming around his desk, "I've already packed up my kids, their staying with people I know I can keep them safe while we work this case. I don't care if you're my boss or not, you take me off this case and I'll drop my resignation today and walk right out the goddamn door."

He sighed, her temper was riled up for some reason, Time to make it worse. "You're free to go any time, Abbie. But it's my case, given the dangers involved I can't ask anyone else to take it on."

"Goddammit, Charlie! Yer gonna be the fuckin' Attorney Gen'ral! Lemme take the goddamn case and get you some goddamn distance!"

He looked at her as she shouted, her drawl thick as her anger at him rose.

He sighed again and sat down. "Why do you want it so badly? You didn't protest when I asked you to leave and today your standing here threatening to quit if I don't let you prosecute it. The only time you've ever not fought for something is when you think it's not worth the cost so what changed?"

Abbie frowned at him, it was a good question and he deserved to know the truth. She took out her phone and tossed it down on the desk. "Take a look at this, Charlie."

He picked up her phone and saw a picture of two of Abbie with a blonde he'd never seen before and a young redhead. His eyes widened in stunned silence.

"I'm on the left." She said, "Jane Rizzoli is on the right with the curly black hair. She's a hero, Charlie. I did a background on her, she shot herself in front of the Boston Police department a few years ago to kill a dirty cop who laid siege to Boston Headquarters. She's also suffered things that no one should. But what he did to her was try to have them killed, Jane fought an assassin hand to hand and won, Maura Rizzoli took two bullets to her back protecting the redhead. Her name is Alexis Castle and she was 19 when she pumped ten bullets in the gunman from a dead FBI agent's gun. That Agent was Gabriel Dean, a decorated war hero and one of the chief investigators in war criminals hiding in America. He died trying to protect Alexis and Dr. Rizzoli."

She took the phone and flipped it to another picture before handing it back, "That's Kate Beckett. Her mother was murdered by Bracken's men. Her Captain gave his life to protect her and she was shot in the chest at his funeral by a man who worked for Bracken. She was also shot in the hip by another merc, a merc Rizzoli killed to save her life. The man next to her is thee Richard Castle, author of the Derrick Storm and Nikki Heat book series. He's been at Beckett's side since 2010 and suffered just as much. He's also Alexis Castle's father. After interviewing each of them I can't turn my back on them. I saw Jane Rizzoli in my bathroom mirror last night and I can't walk away knowing that I didn't help them because everytime I look into that mirror, I'll see her face staring back at me."

"The resemblance is uncanny." He handed her back the phone and looked up at her, "Is she related to you?"

"Not even a little." She replied, "But obviously we're going to have to do a DNA comparison to prove that before court but I know who my parents are and so does she. We're not related."

He nodded, "Then I guess we'll have to start by getting her to a lab for a fresh sample."

"I recommend the Jeffersonian to do the comparison." Abbie replied. "It's better than any other forensic lab in the country."

He thought about it for a few moments more, "You're certain your children will be safe. What about your husband?"

"He's homeland Security." Abbie said firmly, "He can take care of himself, that was the deal I made for my boys."

He shook his head clear, "Alright Abbie. Set up the DNA screen, we'll start as soon as it come back."

She smiled, "Good, then I think it would be a good time for you to go on vacation."

"You misunderstand, Abbie." Charlie's look was authoritative and non negotiable, "We do it together. Because I can't dodge my responsibilities on this case anymore than you can walk away."

She opened her mouth but he cut her off, "That's the way it is or you are off the case entirely and I'll accept your letter of resignation."

Begrudgingly she nodded her head. Looks like we're going down together.

 **Behavioral Analysis Unit**

 **Quantico, Virginia**

Exhausted from a night of Henry throwing up, JJ again considered taking a personal day. She knew it was ridiculous since Will had the day off but it was her son. The only reason she didn't was because of the stupid annual reviews which in her mind was all the more reason to take the day off. She hated the reviews because it always felt like she was profiling her co workers. Supervisory Special Agent had perks but there were times she wanted to drop her badge on Hotchner's desk and go home. She never would because she loved her job, but today she needed a little help to get through it.

So she found herself plopping down next to her friend, and often comic genius, Penelope Garcia. Today, Penelope was wearing a white floral dress with a wool over shirt and her blond hair was flounced over one shoulder, her gaudy yet oddly endearing glasses perched on her nose.

"Damn, you look like you went out on a tare and shut down every bar on the block." The chipper, impressed tone of her voice never failed to make JJ smile.

"Henry has the stomach flu." She groaned.

Penelope inched away from her, "And you're bringing that in here?"

"Relax." She said, "It's passed the contagious stage when we were out in Big Butte, Wyoming."

"Big Butt." She snickered as her phone rang. She clicked the button and promptly took on a professional voice. "Office of technical enlightenment, how may I direct you to plug it in?"

She listened for a second and smiled, "If I blow your mind will you blow mine all night?"

Her fingers flew like lightning over the keyboard of her computer and a second later she smirked, "I just sent it off. Okay, Angel face."

She clicked off and smiled at JJ who looked dead on her feet. "I have a really squishy pillow if you want to lay down over there." She pointed to the only corner not occupied by computers.

JJ chuckled, "I should go see if Reid has any Adderall or something."

"Boy genius gave up the hard stuff years ago." Garcia chuckled. "But I have this on-line friend who lives on Kaf-Pow. She swears it's the best thing ever."

JJ chuckled, "That stuff is heartattack in a foam cup."

Penelope chuckled, "Says the girl who goes through two snack bags of Cheetos a day."

Laughing, JJ looked at her watch, "Speaking of, I wonder what Emily is up to these days?"

"Don't you usually play online scrabble with her?" Penelope asked and brought up the game screen.

"Usually, but she's been busy lately." JJ closed her eyes at the thought of that… man, he barely fit into the category, using what she'd done to leverage Emily. "Some case."

"Awe," Penelope said as she logged in to the Scrabble sight, and pointed to JJ's name, "Cheetobreath is offline. How is she supposed to get with you when you're not logged in?"

A message pinged on JJ's phone and she pulled it out. It was a scrabble instant message.

 **Facilitator: TheQuietOne set up a new game at 2:pm. Check the message board for details.**

JJ looked at the phone as if it was burning her hand and she couldn't let go. Oh my god, Em. What did you do?!

All thoughts of sleep escaped her mind as she realized what had happened. Emily had just bought JJ's freedom from Reddington by enslaving herself.

 _You stupid… Why?! It was my deal. Why did you get involved?!_

"Sweetie are you okay?" Garcia asked.

JJ blinked and hid her worry and anger, "Yeah, I just… I gotta go."

She didn't even say goodbye as she rushed out of Penelope's computer center.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, JJ watched the Mercedes sedan roll to a stop next to the park bench she was sitting on. With pure hatred in her eyes, she stood up as Dembe got out of the car and walked to her.

"Your weapon please." He said in his thick voice.

"Good idea," she growled, "I might kill him."

She handed him her gun and he opened the door for her. A few seconds later Dembe was driving away.

"You sonuvabitch!" she shouted, "Why can't you leave her alone?!"

"What happened in London is no longer your concern" Red said without looking at her, "Needless to say, when you get out of this car it will be the last time that we meet barring some catastrophe."

"What did she say to you?" She snapped, "I want to know what she did!"

Red stretched his jaw twice, making it look like he was chewing on something, "The profile, Miss Jareau."

"Emily." She said to him.

"The profile. Then we can discuss Agent Prentiss." He said firmly.

Her sweet voice almost sounded menacing as she grumbled under her breath and pulled the file out of her purse. "It's pretty hard to come up with a reverse profile. Usually we profile victims to come up with a killer. If the information here is accurate then this is a very dangerous Unsub. A person that you would not want to meet in a dark alley. She's cold, calculating and when her sense of morality is crossed she can respond with lethal intent. The information here suggests that she needs a moral imperative. Her faculties, although skewered, are essentially the same. But there is something here that you should know."

"And that is." He asked as he took the file from her outstretched hand.

"The people that she's with are imprinting upon her, it's very similar to raising a child and her own sense of morality will continue to adjust to them. Every minute of every day that she spends with these people will have a permanent affect on her psyche and should she ever find out who you are and especially what you've done, regardless of who's idea it was or what your intentions were. She will hunt you down and stick you in a cage and her friends will help her."

"So you're saying that eventually, she may come after me."

"No." JJ said firmly, "What I'm saying is without total recall, if she picks up enough to figure out what you did to her, she will come after you, she won't stop and based on these evaluations, which are FBI issue by the way, and this guy with her, he won't stop either. The longer she spends with these people, the less likely that if she does regain her memory, she'll still come after you. So I hope whatever it is that she's doing is worth it because she's going to hate you no matter what. Now you tell me what you did to Emily."

Red looked through the file and nodded, "Very good Jennifer. Very good work."

JJ glared harder, "Reddington?!"

Red turned slowly towards her, "Emily has bought you out in full with information I needed and she made arrangements to ensure that you will be there for your son."

"My son?" JJ leaned away from him, "What does Henry have to do with anything?"

He looked at her with eyes that said he was about to ruin her life, "The incident with Michael Hastings bothered her immensely, Emily has made arrangements to ensure that something like that can never happen again."

JJ felt her stomach drop to her feet. It was worse than she thought possible, "No."

"When you leave this car, I will not contact you again unless you are in very real danger."

"Why?" she said out loud but was lost in thought, "Why would she do that?"

Amusement flushed all over Red's posture, "Are you joking?"

She lost that distant glare and looked up at him, "What?"

He looked over at her and his face lost all humor, "Love."

"Don't call me that." She snapped.

"You asked a question, Jennifer." He said simpering with humor, "I gave you the answer. Love."

"Love?" her face blanked in confusion.

"Yes, love." He said and smiled at her, his voice higher but firm as if he was trying to make a point, "A simple four letter word that has caused wars throughout history and a word that many a men have butchered others over. It's a powerful emotion, and I know countless men who have gave up everything they hold dear for the love of a woman."

JJ stared at him as his eyes fixed firmly on hers.

"You made a deal with me to hide Emily because you love your friend." He opened his mouth again and paused before, "Emily, however, made a deal to protect you and she did it because she loves you." He tipped his head slightly to the side as he watched her, "in a way that you do not reciprocate."

"Wh-What?" JJ stuttered, "What does that mean?"

Dembe pulled the car over next to the bench she had been sitting on and got out to open the door for her.

"Emily loves you." Red said clearly in a low tone, "Only the love of another can make people like Emily vulnerable. Treasure your family, Jennifer. She is willing to betray everything she believes in for you to have it."

Completely in shock at his words, She didn't even respond as Dembe gently guided her out of the car by her arm. The African lead her to the bench and smiled at her.

"Miss Jareau." He said and Emily looked up into his dark smiling face. "Mr. Reddington expresses his gratitude for your service."

She blinked, lost in her own thoughts about Emily. The way she smiled, the way she laughed just a little harder when she made a joke, the funny things he did and the very close friendship that she' had with Emily. A horn sounded somewhere and brought her back to the moment just in time to see the Mercedes disappear into traffic.

JJ dug through her purse, located her cell phone and started dialing the one number that was the only reason she had an international calling plan.

 _"Hello?"_ Came the familiar voice.

"Tell me he's lying." JJ shouted, "Please Emily tell me that he's doing this to screw with me."

 _"Who? Will?! If he did something. I swear…"_

And that was all the answer JJ needed. "Emily."

 _"JJ, are you alright? You're scaring me."_

"How long, how long have you been in love with me?" She asked.

 _"He told you?"_ there was a huff, _"Of course he did."_

"Em." JJ said, "Tell me."

There was a pause in the breathing on the line and for a moment JJ thought Emily wouldn't answer. Finally she sighed, _"After you and Will got serious. When we stopped hanging out so much. I found that I missed you more than I should have and the rest… just fell into place."_

"Why didn't you tell me?!" JJ shouted louder.

Emily's voice was calm and soothing, _"You were pregnant and Will gave up his job for you. It wouldn't have been right."_

"So you sold your soul to _him_ for **_me_**." JJ said as tears started to roll down her cheeks. "That make a lot of fucking sense."

 _"I did what I had to do, JJ."_ She said softly, _"For you and Henry… and Will. I made sure that none of this will ever shadow your family again."_

She fell back into the bench, "Oh Emily, why? Why did you do that?"

There was a sigh and then. _"Because although I can't be the one who makes you happy, I can make sure that you can be happy."_

"But you know what he's going to ask you to do!"

 _"I know."_ Emily said, _"But you're worth it, JJ."_

"Em, don't do this, find a way out, do whatever it takes to get out of this!"

 _"I can't. It's already done."_ She said softly, _"he has what he asked for and he won't come for you again. That alone makes it worth the risk."_

"You stupid…" JJ broke off in a sob. "Why?"

 _"Because… I love you, JJ. I have for a while now. And I'd give my life for your happiness."_

"This doesn't make me happy!"

 _"I know."_ She said, _"But it only hurts for a minute."_

JJ could contain her grief anymore and she bellowed in pain at her friends sacrifice. Her freedom was bought with Emily's slavery to the Concierge of Crime, and just for a moment JJ hated Emily for it.

 _"I have to go now, honey, I'm sorry."_

"Emily." She sobbed.

 _"I love you, Jennifer Jareau."_ The phone disconnected.

"Em? Emily? Don't." JJ pulled the phone away and swiped at her eyes before looking at it. She redialed the line but there was no answer.

JJ felt dizzy and as she stumbled, she grabbed onto a light pole for stability. Her stomach heaved and JJ knew she was going to lose it. She stumbled to the nearest garbage can and hurled. Her heart pounding in her ears, JJ emptied her stomach. A DCPD foot patrol walking along the sidewalk saw her hunched and trowing up so they crossed over Madison and hurried up to her.

The tall one stood just to her right. "Ma'am. Are you alright?"

His partner just a couple of steps distant.

JJ dug into her purse and came out with a napkin, which she wiped her face with and deposited into the can. She looked up at him and tugged the loose strands of her hair away from her very pale face.

She wanted to scream at him that her best friend sold herself to a monster. And that the monster was Reddington, that he was in town, and that her best friend was in love with her while she was married to a man who made her happy, but none of that would do anything. They'd look at her like she was nuts, but there was one reason that she could say, one that would explain why she was throwing up in a garbage can on the side of Madison, it also happened to be true.

JJ took a breath and uttered what she hadn't even told her husband yet.

"I'm pregnant."


	13. Chapter 13

_**AN: Okay, I gave the last few chapters to my wife who promptly said "BORING! You need to spice it up from Chapter 9. Give readers something to hold on to, Comedy, Drama, Sex, something to carry them through." She's right and i'm working on a rewrite. Meanwhile here you go, the second part of the double header, you'll like what's here, short as it is. Starting Part two of the story with Chapter 14, Way more action, Yeah, ACTION! Comedy, fun stuff that you'd expect from the series we've all come to know and love.**_

 _ **TTandMe, this one's for you, hun. Enjoy. Oh and BAMF joins in 15 and stays for the duration.**_

 **Griffin Residence**

 **Alexandria, Va.**

Grumbling to himself about flying all the way to Concord for nothing, John pulled into the driveway and the first thing he saw as he parked his Crown Victoria was that there were no lights on in his house. He frowned as he opened the front door and saw nothing. Figuring that either his family was out to dinner or that he missed one of his son's baseball games he headed to the refrigerator and pulled out a beer.

That was when he realized that something was off. There was no milk, cheese, or any perishables in the fridge at all. He closed the fridge and looked on the door at the game schedule. A week ago was the last game listed.

Confused. John checked his sons' rooms. Their beds were made, their rooms clean, and their baseball equipment was gone.

He went to his bedroom next. Again, clean room, made bed, but several of Abbie's things were gone, like her hair dryer, flat iron, and makeup kit.

John pulled out his cell phone and called his wife. In the bedroom, the cell phone rang twice before the call was forwarded. Not to her voicemail, but to her office. Her secretary's voice answered in a prerecorded message.

 _"You have reached the office of the United States Attorney. AUSA Griffin is unavailable at this time. Please direct your inquiries to AUSA Cabot at extension 723 until further notice. You are now being returned to the directory."_

John shut off his phone and clenched his fist. Three days, he'd been gone for three days, trying to find out where she was and she was busy packing up to leave him. His anger mounted as he realized that Abbie had taken his sons away.

"You fucking bitch." He grumbled out loud, "How dare you take my boys from me."

He snatched the picture off her night table and threw it against the dresser. The glass shattered and the frame blew apart. He stormed out of the bedroom without looking back. His only mission was to find his sons.

John blew right out of the house, his cellphone to his ear. He never saw the letter that lay beneath the kitchen table or the magnet he'd stepped on as he'd left the kitchen. Had he found either, he would have known that his wife hadn't left him.

 **Boston, Ma.**

Jeremy kept his hands on his brothers' shoulders as they walked across the Boston South train station looking for a man with a scar along his face. What he hadn't expected was seeing their mother. Or at least what Jason and Justin thought was their mother.

"Mom!" Justin shouted and took off at a run to her.

Jeremy grabbed Jason's shirt to keep him from running too.

"Oh crap." The woman said as Justin leapt into her arms. "Whoa there." She grabbed on tight. "Okay. Um. I'm actually not your mom. My name is Jane."

She set the boy down and looked him over. "You're not Jeremy so you must be Jason, right?"

"Quit playing, Mom!" He said.

"Justin. That's not Mom." Jeremy barked before looking at the woman. "I'm sorry detective."

She scoffed. "No that's okay. Believe me, his reaction was better than mine when I met your mother "

Jeremy smiled. "Confused, angry, and armed. I remember her telling me."

"Ugh," Jane groaned, "she remembers everything."

"So what happened to the guy with the scar?"

Jane smiled. "I thought a familiar face would go over better. Besides, Kieran can be a little intimidating the first time around."

Jason and Justin stared at the woman with the curly black hair who looked like their mother.

"Jeremy, you and Mom aren't being nice?" Jason said. "Quit trying to mess with us."

Jane looked down at the young men. "You know your mom pretty good right?"

They both nodded.

Kneeling in front of them, Jane held up her hands and held a warmth in her eyes and smile that was disarmingly reassuring. One hand to each of them. "Your mom's hands never got hurt right? Well mine did."

They stared at the hands as she turned them over. "My name is Jane Rizzoli." She pulled her badge off of her hip and held it up for them to see. "I'm a police officer and a friend of your mom's. I know I look just like her, but I'm not related to her at all. Pretty weird huh?"

"How come you look just like her?" Jason asked.

Jane smiled, "Well, they say that everyone in the world has a person who looks just like them. So somewhere out there there's a person who looks just like both of you."

Justin snorted, "Uh yeah. That's dad."

She narrowed her eyes at the sarcastic tone from the youngest one. "You're going to be the first one to wear my handcuffs aren't you."

Jeremy smiled "Okay, you heard what Mom said. Don't give Detective Rizzoli a hard time."

She nodded at them. "Okay, here's rule number one, call me Jane. Rule number two, be nice to Maura."

"Who's Maura." Jason asked looking around, "Your imaginary friend?"

Jane looked to Jeremy.

"Maura is Det... Um, Jane's wife." He corrected. "And she's right, you guys will be nice."

Justin snickered to his brother, "She's married to a girl."

Jason laughed quietly.

Rising, Jane clapped her hands together. "Okay and on that note. Whattaya say we head over to the house? I'm sure you kids are hungry and my mother is a really great cook so let's get your bags and go eat."

After picking up luggage and putting it into Jane's car, she drove them to the new house that they had just purchased.

Jeremy tried to keep track of where they were, but Boston was a place he'd never seen and was quickly lost. Finally, Jane turned into a quiet neighborhood with larger houses and nice lawns. Midway through the third block she slowed and turned into the driveway of a large Colonial with a two car garage and parked beside a black and silver Mercedes sports car.

She shut the car off and popped the trunk. "Okay, boys. This is it."

She got out and opened the back door for the two younger ones.

Jeremy got out and looked around as he pulled two of the four large duffel bags out of the trunk. Jane caught his hand on one. "That one's got my cop stuff in it and needs to stay in the car."

He looked at the black bag. "Sorry. I didn't know."

She let go and took one of the blue ones, "Don't worry about it." Seeing how nervous he was she gave him a warm dimpled smile. "C'mon. Let me introduce you to the nicest people you'll ever meet."

She lead them through the garage to the door and held it open as a Boston blue and white patrol car pulled into the driveway. Both of the young ones rushed inside called by the scent of homemade sweetness. Jeremy waited with Jane.

A young blond officer got out of the passenger seat and opened the rear door of the Interceptor. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen climbed out of the back of that car and Jeremy was awestruck.

A few inches shorter than he was. She was lithe and graceful, with a head full of rosy red curls and ocean blue eyes she smiled brightly at the cop revealing a pair of dimples.

"Thanks for the ride, Charlie." She said with a voice that gave Jeremy a shiver.

The cop nodded as she shut the door. "No problem." She'd said and waved to the detective at the door. "Hi Jane."

"Hey Charlie." Came the reply. "You off?"

"Four more hours, I'm covering for Evans."

"Big Evans or Little Evans?" Jane asked.

"Big Evans." She replied. "Little Evans is working midnights."

Jane nodded as Alexis walked to them. "Thanks for bringing her home. And tell Frankie that I've got the boys so he'd better not back out on me Saturday."

Charlie laughed, "He'll be here." And got back in the car.

Clad in her faded blue jeans and white T-shirt. Alexis walked with a swagger that made Jeremy's throat dry.

He felt a hand on his shoulder as Jane leaned into him. "She's seven years older than you and just so you know, she works in the morgue. Her aunt cuts open dead people and she," Jane tipped her chin to the redhead, "weighs the body parts."

His eyes widened.

"Hey Lex." Jane said with a smile. "This is Jeremy. He and his brothers are staying with us for a while."

She turned those ocean blue eyes on him and he felt his knees getting weak. "Hi Jeremy, I'm Alexis." She held her hand up and he shook it gently.

Jeremy smiled, but couldn't find words. Amazingly his voice refused to work.

Jane stifled a grin. "He's had a long trip and his brothers wore him out so let's go meet the others." She held the door for her and Alexis stepped in. Jeremy turned to follow, but Jane caught him. "Also, her Ma is my sergeant so don't go looking too hard on that crush, okay?"

His cheeks reddened as Jane patted his shoulder.

"Aunt Jane?"

"Yeah yeah. I'm coming." She picked up two of the bags and walked in.

"Jeremy!" Justin shouted, "You have to try one of these!"

He walked into a kitchen full of people, including an older brownish grey haired woman who was holding a plate of some kind of roll with white cream coming out of the ends.

Jane patted him on the back, "My mom loves to stuff kids full of homemade cooking so you can expect to grow two inches in some direction or another while you're here." She smiled and tipped her head, "C'mon, I'll introduce you."

They didn't get more than three feet into the kitchen when the honey blond woman from the picture walked into the kitchen. Her content smile blossomed into outright joy as soon as she caught sight of the detective.

"Oh, Jane Dear." she said and wrapped her arms around the tall woman, "I missed you."

Jeremy blushed as Maura pulled Jane into a passionate kiss. His mother had taught him not to judge people on who they were involved with but watching the cop kissing her wife was like watching his mother kissing another woman and it seriously messed with him and he had to turn away.

Jason and Justin started snickering, causing Alexis to look over at what had them amused. She saw Jeremy's discomfort.

Thinking quickly she went over to him and took him by the hand, "That takes some getting used to, I know. C'mon. I'll show you around.""

At her firm warm grip and gorgeous smile, Jeremy felt his entire being grow weak as she lead him around. They went straight to the older woman with the pastries. "This is Angela Rizzoli, she's Aunt Jane's mother. Nonna this is Jeremy."

Angela smiled at him, "My goodness, you're a cute one."

Jeremy blushed some more, "um thanks."

It didn't take her a second to see that the young man was flustered. Having raised two sons, Angela had a good idea that it had to do with the pale hand in his. "Here, have a cannoli."

Jason smiled at him from the woman's side, "Man, you have to try these things. They're awesome."

Angela held the plate up and he took one. "Thank you."

"Aunt Jordan!" Alexis called and pulled him away from Angela and over to a tall thin woman with a mole on her cheek. "This is Jeremy. This is my Aunt Jordan.""

She didn't let go of his hand just smiled and indicated the woman.

Jordan looked over at him and nodded, "Hi Jeremy. Welcome to Boston."

"Thank you," he said shyly. "Um, what do you do for a living?" as soon as the words were out, he cringed inwardly, Lame, Jer. That is no way to impress someone. Nice to see his inner monologue was back.

"I'm a medical examiner." She said with a wicked grin.

Realizing that she was the Aunt that Jane was referring to, he gulped audibly. "Um."

Quietly giggling in Maura's ear Jane had watched her double's eldest grow pale at meeting Jordan.

"What is it, dear?" Maura asked.

"Jeremy is smitten with Lexie." Jane whispered gently, "And he just found out what she and Jordan do for a living."

Maura took a step back, "Need I remind you that you are married to a medical examiner?"

Grinning wildly, Jane nodded, "Yeah, but he's never met a dead doctor before and it's funny as hell watching him squirm."

"Jane Clem-" Angela started.

Her hand snapped out to cover her mother's mouth, "Don't you dare, Ma. Those boys better not learn my middle name, ever."

"What is your middle name?" Jason asked.

Jane jerked as she realized one of them was standing right at her hip. "How the heck did you sneak up on me?"

"I'm pretty sneaky." He replied confidently, "Mom has a hard time keeping up."

Narrowing her eyes on him, she tried to figure out how he'd manage to come up to her and her threat detection hadn't gone off. "Boy, you don't know how hard that really is."

Jeremy walked over to them, "So, um, where are we staying?"

"Right here," Jane said. "Jeremy, this is my wife, Maura."

He held up a hand to the blonde, "Nice to meet you."

"Jordan and I have the two back bedrooms set up for you and your brothers." Maura said warmly, "If you'd like to take your bags I can show you where your rooms are."

He nodded and went to pick up the three duffels from where Jane had sat them by the door.

Maura kissed her wife, took a bag from the teen and remembered something, "Oh, Jane. Dr. Metcalf called to confirm our appointment on Tuesday with Dr. Lenz."

Jane cringed but nodded to her wife.

The woman with the pastries paused at the news. "You didn't tell me about this."

Jeremy watched Jane expelled an exasperated sigh.

"We're meeting the Doctor who's going to perform the procedure." Maura said calmly as she walked to the hallway, "It's just a formality, Ma."

"And you weren't going to tell me I bet." the woman glared.

"After the way you grilled Dr. Metcalf about me not having kids, yeah, I wasn't going to invite you."

"Jane! I'm your mother and you're talking about my grandbaby."

"Don't even go there!" She barked. "Do you know how hard it was just finding a doctor to do this?"

"Jane, this is what they do." Angela protested. "There have to be dozens of doctors to-"

"Ma," Jordan interrupted, "Maura is having a very controversial procedure done that has very significant medical, legal, and political repercussions. Regardless of the fact that they're a married couple, it's still surrogacy."

Maura lead him across the great living room to an open hallway that spanned the whole side of the house. She indicated the open French doors at the back end of the hall. "Jane and I are in the master suite there but one of the reasons we love this house so much is that each bedroom has its own small bathroom."

She bypassed the first door closest to her room and led him into the next one. "This is your room. You share a bathroom with your brothers but you have your own space since you're a few years older than the others."

Decorated comfortably, Jeremy set his bag on the full size bed, feeling the soft blankets and nodding. "I really have a bathroom here?"

Maura walked to the far side of the room and opened the door, "Yes and it also accesses your brothers' room as well so you can check on them as often as you feel the need."

She walked through the bathroom and opened the door on the far side, "Your brothers are here."

He followed her and saw the two double beds on the far wall. Both looked every bit as comfortable as his own had looked.

"Now I know that you only brought a few basic necessities but when Kieran comes home, we'll go out to the department store and get you whatever you need for your stay."

He looked over at her as he sat another duffel on the bed, "The guy with the scar. Mom said that he was supposed to meet us at the train station so who is he?"

"For lack of a better term, he's my personal bodyguard." Maura said, "He owes Jane his life and feels that the best way to repay that debt is to protect what Jane loves most, me."

"So he's the one in the other room." Jeremy tried to picture who was where, methodically trying to understand his new environment.

"No." Maura let go of the last duffel and guided him out of the room. "Kieran lives in a one bedroom apartment over the garage. Alexis has the last room on this end and the bedroom closest to my room is a nursery for the child Jane and I are trying to have."

She guided him around the large 8000 Square foot home and showed him where everything was including her office where she would be continuing their education and the gym on the other side of the foyer where she and Jane exercised.

"This house does have a basement in it and you and your brothers are welcome to use it for play, but there is a room down there with a private sign on the door." Maura looked him straight in the eyes, "It's Jane's training room and you and your brothers must respect her privacy, especially if she is inside."

She could tell that something about her statement made him nervous so she tried to head it off, "I am sure that she would show it to you to allay any curiosities but please understand that she is not comfortable training with anyone around. It's her personal, private sanctuary and even I don't go in there unless she asks."

He nodded his understanding. "Since Jane is a police officer, is her gun the only one in the house that I need to worry about?"

Admiring his responsible nature, Maura lead him back towards the kitchen, "Jane carries two. Kieran has one as do I. Kieran keeps his in a lock box in his apartment. There is a coded strong box in our room where Jane puts hers every night and there is a gun safe in Jane's training room for her shotgun. The only thing that is not usually locked up is Jane's stun batons though she does keep them in our room."

He inclined his head to her as they rejoined Jane's family.

"Absolutely not!," Jane barked. "There's no way you're going to watch a doctor suck out my body parts and there's no way you're going to watch them put ''em in my wife so forget it."

"Janie." Her mother protested, "Why not?"

"Because, I will not conceive a child in the presence of my mother. It's embarrassing enough having to do it this way and you wouldn't be there for it if one of us was a guy so you're not going to be there for it because we're both girls. The answer is no. You will have to wait on an EPT just as you would for your other children. For crying out loud, Ma? Can I have just a little privacy while I make a baby with my wife?"

Jeremy looked around and didn't see Alexis or his siblings. "Um, does anyone know where my kid brothers went?"

Jordan pointed towards the back hallway. "Alexis went to introduce them to Bass and Tank when this conversation popped up."

"Bass and Tank?" He frowned.

"Jane and Maura raise tortoises. They like to hang out in the laundry room since it's the warmest room in the house."

"Jeremy, look!" Justin shouted.

Jeremy turned to see a turtle the size of a coffee table slowly lumbering into the dining room.

"Holy cow." He said.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: okay, this is it. The final part of Part 1 of 2. Thanks for hanging on. i promise we'll come back to this with a bang.**

* * *

 **Constitution Ave.**

 **Washington D.C.**

Riding in the passenger seat of Booth's SUV. Abbie was getting irritated with the phone call to her children's school district.

"Look, Megan is it? I want to talk to the principal or the superintendent. I've already explained this to Mrs. Madsen a week ago when I picked them up from school that my children will not be in school for the next 90 days at the minimum. I know that it's unusual, which is why I need lesson plans, assignments, and tests for the next three months so that they won't fall behind... Who is going to teach them? A college professor... Because I can't give you that information... Because it puts my kids at risk! Turn on the evening news tonight and you'll know why... I am a United States Attorney, do you know what that means. It means that if you screw with me any more over this I'll make a phone call to the Secretary of Education and he'll run through that school like shit through a bull... Thank you, have it assembled for all three of my kids by end of business today. My assistant, Ashley Mitchell, will be over there to get it before the final bell rings... Thank you so much. Good bye."

Booth chuckled to himself as did the two other Agents in the back seat.

"Remind me to call you next time my son gets in trouble."

She looked at him. "He goes to Fairfax, right?"

He nodded. "He sure does."

She snorted. "Jeremy just had a baseball game against them."

He looked over at her. "My son Parker said they lost to Alexandria."

Abbie smiled proudly. "They sure did."

Booth lifted his chin as they pulled up to the congressional building. "And we're going to have an audience."

Abbie groaned at the media circus that had gathered on the steps. "Oh look, he's giving a speech."

Booth smiled. "Got yours prepared?"

"No, but give me a minute and I should have something."

He pulled the SUV up to the curb. "You've got thirty seconds." He checked to make sure he had the warrant in hand. "Let's go."

They all got out and moved around the news reporters making their way towards the podium. Abbie listened in while the Feds closed in.

"And as President, my promise to you will be the continuation of this campaign against illegal narcotics and to bring the force projection of the United States against these cartels, both in South America and abroad until they realize that the price of bringing their products to our homes is too high."

Booth was stopped by one of Bracken's security people. One of the feds flashed his badge and pulled out handcuffs. Seeley bypassed them and with Abbie right behind him, Booth pulled out the warrant.

"Senator William Bracken." He said sternly. "I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth of the FBI."

"Excuse me a moment." He turned to shoo the Fed, but stopped at the sight of one of the women he absolutely hated., the one that cost him his marriage. In a clear voice Booth announced, "Senator William Bracken, you are under arrest."

Brackens eyes widened, "On what charge?"

"Extortion, bribery, conspiracy to conceal crimes for the purpose of obstructing justice, money laundering, conspiracy to commit murder, murder for hire, abuse of public office and trafficking of narcotics."

The media crowd exploded with shouts and questions. Bracken narrowed his eyes at the dark haired woman. "I'm going to bury you for this Rizzoli."

Booth cuffed him right there at the podium. "Wrong person, Senator. But don't feel bad. I did it too."

Abbie narrowed her eyes and held up her badge. "My name is Assistant US Attorney Abigail Griffin. Agent Booth, Mirandize the Senator without delay."

"Senator Bracken, you have the right to remain silent, if you give up that right, anything you say can be used against you..."

Abbie listened to make sure it was done properly and once done she nodded to him. "A moment before we leave."

She looked at the frenzy of cameras flashes and recorders.

Though this was her least favorite part of her job, she stepped up to the podium. "My name is Abigail Griffin with the US Attorney's Office. Senator Bracken is not currently available for comments on the actions of the FBI and the US Attorney's Office at this time. I am unable to comment as well however US Attorney Charles Bellamy will make a statement later this afternoon. Thank you." She walked away hearing them demanding answers. As she walked back to the SUV she looked up at the Senator. "Short, sweet, and noncommittal. I hope that was to your satisfaction."

He snarled at her. "You've ended your career, detective."

Abbie snorted. "You'd better check with your attorney because I've been working on the Hill longer than Rizzoli's been a detective. I did get the chance to meet her. Needless to say the resemblance was quite the shocker." She looked at Booth, "Make sure he has a private cell, I don't want there to be any chance of something happening to jeopardize the case."

He nodded. "Rather than go to Central Booking, would the Senator prefer to be held at the Hoover Building?"

Bracken looked at him, "Call my attorney." He said nothing for a few seconds. "FBI headquarters will be fine."

Booth looked at Abbie. "That okay with you?"

"Agreed." Abbie said. "Hold him there for arraignment."

 **Somewhere near Washington DC.**

The old colonial mansion that overlooked the Chesapeake Bay had been in his family for generations, and if the Kingmaker had anything to say about it, it would continue for generations more. No longer a young man, he knew that soon his health would require his son to return home to care for him. He didn't expect to have that care for long. Just as he had done to his father, the Kingmaker expected his son to use a nice painkiller to ease his passing after a suitable time of care.

It was just easier that way, without having distractions to keep them from doing what they did. Utilize the powers of Washington to their own gain.

His son excelled at it, just as he once did. And both lived a life of power, influence and ease. He went to the small bar in his great room and poured himself a short glass of scotch before easing his bulk into his lounge chair. He used the remote to turn on the flatscreen and switched to the news channels and sipped at his scotch.

 _"On Capitol Hill today, Senator William Bracken was delivering an anti-drug speech when he was arrested by the FBI-"_

The Kingmaker choked on the scotch. Coughing and wheezing, he jammed his thumb on the volume control.

 _"-on charges of racketeering, treason and drug trafficking of all things. The New York Senator was taken into custody under the supervision of Assistant US Attorney Abigail Griffin, whom many believe will replace Head US Attorney Charles Bellamy within the next election term should he be appointed as Attorney General. Ms. Griffin made a very brief speech to members of the media during the arrest._

 _"My name is Abigail Griffin with the US Attorney's Office. Senator Bracken is not currently available for comments on the actions of the FBI and the US Attorney's Office at this time. I am unable to comment as well however US Attorney Charles Bellamy will make a statement later this afternoon. Thank you."_

The Kingmaker glared at the screen, "What the hell is this?"

 _"We now go live to the US District Court of Washington DC for the press conference."_

The image changed to the steps of the Courthouse as Bellamy and Griffin walked out of the main doors. Questions were shouted as Bellamy took the podium that had been set out for him. Griffin stood to his right along with a tall dark haired man in a suit who watched the crowd with hunting eyes.

He held his hands up, a grim serious expression on his face. _"Ladies and gentleman of the Press, I regret to inform you that Senator of New York, William Bracken, was arrested today on charges against the United States of America. After a careful investigation and examination of evidence provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the US Attorney''s office under my instruction has secured indictments against the Senator for several capital crimes including drug trafficking and the ordered murder of several-"_

The phone rang, snapping him out of his shock. He answered it quickly.

 _"I've been trying to reach you all day."_ His son said, _"Have you seen the news?"_

"Just now." he said angrily, "No one came forth with this?"

 _"The investigation was completely unreported by our sources, yours and mine."_

"Unless this was fabricated, someone didn't do their job." He grumbled.

 _"I had the same thought, however it would appear that the investigating agent kept it very close to his chest and he didn't inform many if anyone what he was doing. My sources in the Justice Department informed me only after the judge signed the warrant and it was filed with the clerk. I didn't even have time to warn him."_

"Is this genuine?" he asked, "Or is it something designed to keep him from running?"

 _"My belief is that it is both. Bracken is being held at the Hoover Building and has made a number of calls to our legal connection, but in light of his situation, I have not replied yet."_

"Good." he said in relief. "Bracken will have to face this on his own for now."

 _"But under our agreement, he is entitled to legal protection."_ Before his father could say anything, he offered a suggestion, _"I believe that Tobias is far enough removed from us and could possibly clear him of the charges."_

He thought about it and nodded approvingly, "Very good. However, my concern isn't so much with Bracken as it is with his… financier."

 _"You're worried about retaliation from the south?"_

"Wouldn't you be?" He sighed,

 _"I could have killed him myself for taking Escalante's money. Now that he's dead and she's in charge... "_

"She had a lot invested in him," The Kingmaker rubbed his hand along his silver hair, "It may be necessary to offer her something."

 _"An alliance with her is the same as with Lucifer himself,"_ his son cautioned. _"The Director will not approve."_

"I know that." The Kingmaker said. "But keeping her distracted will be essential to her demise."

 _"She's dangerous father, don't forget that. If she falls then the Director will call it business as usual, but if she survives…"_

The Kingmaker shook his head, "That won't happen, he's never failed. The Raven will die far more quickly than she had ever allowed others."

 _"I'll make the call to Tobias."_

"And I will put my sources into this. If he breathes a word about us, he'll be dead on utterance."

He hung up the phone and downed the scotch in one gulp before turning off the TV and thinking about the ramifications of Bracken''s trial. No longer were they in a position to control the Whitehouse, but there were other candidates. Sadly, he wouldn't live long enough to see one sit in the oval office. That now fell to his son and for the second time, he regretted putting his faith in William Bracken. As he walked out of his great room, he vowed that there will not be a third.

* * *

Bracken walked out of the US Courthouse furious after his arraignment. His much younger attorney walked right along side him, not behind like most would. Tobias Ball was tall, thin and dressed in a suit that was worth more than a year of tuition at Yale. Not like many attorneys, he had no fear of Bracken at all, mostly due to his standing in the Kingmaker's legal offices. He was young but the very fact that he was at Ardmore, Lincoln, and associates was proof enough of his knowledge and skills as a litigator. Still, it should have been Moss standing in there with him, not the young up and coming punk with the long spiky hair.

"Where is Ben?" The senator growled.

"Mr. Moss is overseeing other matters." Came the reply. "You should calm yourself , Senator. I give you my word that you'll have the best representation."

"A better lawyer would have stopped this at the indictment." Bracken said as Ball stopped them at a Limousine.

He opened the door for the Senator before following him in. As the car started down the street, Ball turned back to Bracken. "Let me be frank with you. No one saw this coming but I can assure you that the blame is yours in it's entirety. My understanding is that Johanna Beckett is what started this whole thing in motion. The Kingmaker told you to keep your indiscretions out of the spotlight. If you would have been killing hookers, this would be much easier, but Bellamy and Griffin are laying the murders of three civilians, five cops and two federal agents right on you with murder for hire, not to mention your south American friend and all of her actions. They are going after you with RICO to get to her because you are now the weakened link. A RICO investigation that he doesn't want climbing up his organization. You brought Simmons into this thinking he belonged to you. He always belonged to the Raven and now we are paying the price. There is more than your freedom at stake, Senator. I'll get you off these charges so that we can disown you, because your disappearance would be inconvenient. Mr. Moss instructed me to inform you that you are to follow the procedures of law to the letter or he will deal with the inconvenience."

Bracken glared at the attorney, "Do you know who the hell you're talking too?"

"A man who needs my help to get clear of the death penalty." Ball said simply. "That makes you a client and nothing more."

Bracken glared hard, "I can make a phone call and you'll be dead by the end of the day."

"And so will the only attorney from our organization who will represent you. Your assets were seized, senator. Your illegitimate accounts were frozen as well. So unless you have a sea container full of hundreds somewhere, your defense will be paid for by whatever is in your pocket. Like it or not, you asked for help and here I am, courtesy of Mr. Moss. Do exactly what I tell you and I will get you out of this."

The limousine pulled up in front of the House of Congress and Bracken frowned, "What are we doing here?"

Ball opened his briefcase and pulled out a sheet of paper, "Your impeachment hearing is next week. In order to minimize the damage, you're resigning today. Here is your speech. And we have arranged for you to have fifteen minutes to deliver it."

"I'm not going to resign!" Bracken shouted.

"Yes, senator you are." Ball said calmly and held up the sheet. "This is the best for you as well as the Kabal. Read the speech first. It's very eloquent and sensible. Deliver it well and they will understand why and will regret you leaving."

He snatched the sheet out of ball's hand and read it. He shook his head, "Well, your speech writers are better then mine are."

"Part of the business." He said. "Their waiting for you senator."

* * *

 _"Further developments in the events surrounding William Bracken, the New York senator announced his resignation from both the Presidential Candidacy as well as from the Senate citing that quote, "It isn't fair to the citizens of New York or the people of the United States to have elected officials in office pending criminal proceedings." The eleven year senator has also stated that quote, "I cannot in good conscience perform the duties of my office until I have proved my innocence in the court of this great country particularly after making a point of fighting corruption of our nations officials. It would be a poor example not to submit to the due process that makes America unique among the worlds powers."_

 _Senator Bracken tendered his resignation within an hour after being arraigned on charges of treason and murder."_

"Well done, Bill." The Kingmaker said to his flat screen. "Now all you need is the US Attorney to drop the charges."

"That's not going to be easy." His son said from the next chair over, "Charles Bellamy has no living family or any relationships that we can find. It may simply be easier to arrange an accident then it would be to find leverage."

"Who would take over the case?" He asked.

His son clicked a button on the remote and the news feed reversed rapidly to the US Attorney standing in front of a podium, next to him was a dark haired woman in a very lovely suit. "Abigail Griffin, Bellamy's right hand, Her husband is DHS and she has three children from him. Though we do know that she and her husband, john, have a tense relationship, if we were to threaten him. She'd put DHS on alert and keep going. The way to get to her is through her sons."

"Do we have a location on them?" He asked.

"Not at this time. Our local resources have been to her home several times over the last week and there's no one home. On a hunch I checked with their school in Alexandria and found out that Griffin has pulled them out of school and with as much as three months worth of curriculum. It would appear that she has put her children underground somewhere but our analysts have been unable to substantiate a long trip. We're combing through her financials, phone records and Emails trying to find a location but so far they've come up empty."

The Kingmaker thought about how to handle the uniqueness of the issue and within moments he had a plan. "Who would take over should Mrs. Griffin suffer the fate of her boss?"

"Best estimates would fall upon Alexandra Cabot or Kimberly Greylek." The son smiled wide. "If it's Greylek, it shouldn't be an issue since we have more than enough blackmail on her to get her to cooperate, and with a nice reward like the USA's chair, she may even be persuaded to our cause. Cabot however is a significant threat. She has connections and a spotless record but she does not share a solid family bond, as proof when she went into Witness Protection around ten years ago. I'll have to do some digging to get at her."

"Good, see to it that it gets done." He said harshly. "I want to make sure that Abigail Griffin suffers the same fate as her boss and that Cabot is out of the way for Greylek to take the case and the USAO."

"I'll see to it father."

The Kingmaker sat back and smiled, "Some good may come from this yet."

* * *

 ** _To be continued..._**


	15. Chapter 15

**Previously on Convictions...**

 **Just kidding, Here we go with Part Two, This one goes out to Lisa, who has been waiting very patiently for this. So now that we've made the bust, we're going to get to the trial, and i'll be honest, I've got that worked out but Mr. Reddington? Even i don't know what he's up to but it should be diabolical whatever it is. So lets start this up with a bang.**

* * *

 **United States District Court,**

 **Washington DC.**

"Booth!" Abbie shouted politely over the crowd, "Over here!"

Booth caught sight of her slender had raised over the heads of other es who were gathering together for the press conference Bellamy had called on the steps of the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse, the court where the trial of Senator bracken would be heard. He moved through the various people who'd gathered to hear the conference. After several excuse mes and coming throughs, Booth made it to their sides and found several US Marshals standing around.

"Added security?" He asked.

"Just a precaution I'm sure," Bellamy said as he adjusted his tie, "I doubt anyone is going to try something at the press conference. The trial however, US Marshals are responsible for the Court's Security as well as US Attorneys so I felt it would send a message that we're not going to back down."

"I wish you would have said something, "Booth said, "I could have had a couple of agents here for a show of force."

"We're not about force." Abbie said, "We're about justice and these men are here for protection not intimidation. It's not just about what message to sent to the average Joe but what we're not saying can be just as important."

"Well said, Abbie." Charlie said with a sparkle in his blue eyes, "How is your family coping, Booth?"

"Full security detail." He groaned, "Bones won't just walk away from her job though we did send our kids away with their grandfather. If it becomes an issue, she'll join them."

"Is that enough?" Abbie asked, "My kids are hidden away and I can't even call them for fear of them being found. Is just going away with their grandfather enough to hide them?"

"I know what you're thinking, Abbie." He said and rested a hand on her shoulder while looking her in the eyes, "and I assure you that if Max Brennan doesn't want to be found, he won't be."

She looked at him and opened her mouth.

"Trust me Abbie. You did the right thing for your boys."

"Speaking of the right thing." Bellamy said as he came up behind them, "It's time. Abbie?"

She turned her head to the side, acknowledged her boss and nodded to booth before heading for the door.

Bellamy looked to the agent, "You're welcome to join us if you'd like."

Booth looked at the cameras and reporters outside. The very air seemed to be charged as Bellamy joined Abbie. He didn't know why but he felt his feet moving him towards the door. He jerked his sunglasses out of his pocket and affixed them to his head before stepping out behind Abbie, who smiled at his presents.

Booth however didn't smile, his eyes searching the crowd from behind his shades. Something felt wrong but he couldn't see a threat. His eyes darted from the crowd to roof tops. A glint caught his eye, he wasn't even sure that he saw it but then a reporter turned a recorder just right and the glint from the sun caught it again. Every instinct in his being snapped fire as he searched for the threat. Then he saw 'the look' from a man moving through the crowd as Bellamy took the podium. As Charlie started his speech, Booth saw the gun. There was no time to stop the shot, Booth spun and threw himself at Abbie.

"The United States Attorney's office is ready to proceed to trial. Myself and Assistant US Attorney Griffin have every confidence that the evidence will secure a conviction against Senator Bracken for his crimes against the people of the United States-"

 _ **BANG!**_

Booth slammed Abbie to the ground and covered her with his own body as a thud landed beside them. Abbie looked out from beneath him to see Charlie looking at her, blood trickling down his lip. All she could hear were screams as the crowd scattered, that and her own pulse pounding in her ears.

Charlie looked at Booth and gasped, "Keep… her… safe…"

From a distance she could hear sirens, two more gunshots rang out as the Court's US Marshals fired on the suspect, dropping him to the ground.

People started pressing their hands to Charlie's chest, trying to contain his bleeding. Abbie stared in shock as Charlie looked at her.

He weakly mouthed to her, "Go."

Booth climbed off her, pulled her to her feet and started shoving her towards the street where his government vehicle sat awaiting them. Marshals from the courthouse crowded her, guns at the ready.

Another shot was heard and Abbie heard the Marshals shoot back. A spent shell burned her cheek as it bounced off her. Booth handed the keys off after fobbing the doors open. He pulled open the rear door and shoved her inside as more gunfire erupted. He dove on top of her as two Marshals jumped into his SUV. The Marshal put it in gear and slammed the gas pedal to the floor. All the while Abbie was shouting Charlie's name.

Still on top of Abbie as the SUV was driven away in great haste, Booth growled. "Okay. This just got real."

He climbed off her and sat up. Offering her a hand she declined and moved to sit in the car. "My boss was just shot! This wasn't real to you before?"

Booth pulled out his cell phone, he dialed a number and put the phone to his ear. "Better pack your bags. I need your crew in D.C. Code Blue." He hung up.

"Who's crew?" She shouted. "What about Charlie?!"

"He was hit and he went down." Booth said, "My priority is now your safety."

"Booth!" she shouted. "Charlie!"

He looked at her, "Abbie, think. Even if it's not serious he's going to be hospitalized for a while, Your the prosecutor and no I have to keep you alive by what ever means I have. I can't trust my people but I have a crew I can trust."

"Who?" she snapped. "Who can you possibly trust?"

He looked over at her, "Some familiar faces and a few new ones too."

 **Fort Justice, ATC**

 **Springfield, IL.**

Colin O'Malley slapped the phone closed. He'd prayed that he wouldn't get this call, but it had come. He wiped his face with the towel he'd brought with him to his workout. Toweling off his arms he tossed it into the dirty towel bag and headed outside of the old hangar that he'd converted into his home.

Soon his home would be filled with people he barely knew but were related to his closest friends. It was a trade off he'd made to keep his friends safe. The Post Commander's mansion was still weeks away from the renovation being completed so he'd have to call Griggs to have bunks brought in. But, the good news was that he knew that they'd be safe here, especially with his best friend watching over them. She'd been staying with him since LETO and he'd even let her move into his loft since she'd had a hard time with sleeping lately. Her staying in his loft would also keep anyone else out of his bedroom. It was just something he didn't want to share, but she understood him and was as close as he'd let anyone get.

He walked out of the hangar to see his friend near the free standing spigot in the driveway. The tall muscular woman with short reddish brown hair was scrubbing her blue Harley Davidson Trike with a wash mitt. Clad only in a short pair of Daisy Dukes and a sports bra to contain her ample cleavage, she crouched low to get around underneath the hard saddlebags of her bike. Her strong muscles rippled as she scrubbed the dust and dirt from the bike. Despite being one of his best friends, he could easily see her physical appeal to others and couldn't help but admire her strength. She'd seen unspeakable things in her career and helped so many, but she hadn't been able to save herself from the horrors of both her job and her love life. She'd loved too deeply for someone who couldn't give her what she needed and she'd also lost something she''d regretted just as deeply. The tattoos she bore were things she'd never wanted to forget, like the one on her right arm, it was the one driving her to heal and recover. It reminded her that she wasn't alone in this, and she'd worked hard to be worthy of her family, of her sisters. Something she'd never had growing up.

The tattoo on her left shoulder blade was one that united her and her family. Both of her sisters had nearly identical Tattoos.

 **Daughters of Justice, "Standing on the thin Blue Line."**

The words were wrapped in a circle surrounding two Uniformed Police women, with Lady Justice holding her scales above them. The same image was engraved on the air filter of the bike she was washing.

"Hey." He said his voice hoarse with a heavy Irish brogue.

She looked up at him with piercing brown eyes that seemed like they could peer through your soul.

"I've got to go to DC for a while. They took a shot at her."

She stood up abruptly. "I'll get my kit."

"You can't." He said. "As much as your girls and I would love to have you, you're not ready and you told me that."

Appearing dejected he put a hand on her strong shoulder. "But, you can still help."

She looked up at him. "How?"

"All of their families will be coming here. I need you here to protect them. You'll be in charge of my boys. They're all good men and of course, you're welcome to stay in my loft."

She nodded regretfully. "Keep them safe Colin and ready or not, you call me if you need me."

He put an arm around her and kissed her temple. "You got it, lass."

Fifteen minutes later, his calls were done and he strapped his kit to the back of his Street Stalker Softail. He handed her the keys to the post armory and rode away.

She watched him go, hating that he was right. She wasn't a cop anymore and her emotional state wasn't ready for what they had to do.

"Keep my sisters safe Colin." She whispered. "Keep Abbie safe too."

 **Long Island, New York**

Kate Beckett sighed in contentment as she lay only in a bikini on the back lawn of her fiancé's home in the Hamptons. Her final days with the NYPD were behind her and she had three more weeks until she reported to Boston to take on her new job as Sergeant of Homicide.

Her hand reached out to grasp the masculine hand of her love. She looked over to see him dozing in the sun.

"Rick." She plied gently. "Are you sleeping?"

He sighed gently, "If I was, you would be to blame."

"Me?" She scoffed. "What did I do?"

He smiled at the memory. "Should I come up with some creative description of Kate Beckett or a hot steamy scene for Nikki Heat."

She slapped him on the stomach.

He groaned and chuckled lightly.

Content again, she smiled to herself as she lay in the sun. She had worn him out over the last two weeks, but he never complained about how often they made love. He just rose to the task. Soft and slow or hard and fast. He was up for whatever she dished out. Likewise, she loved it when he took charge, like he had in the pool an hour earlier.

Looking around, she'd been unable to see anyone nearby and rested her hand on his inner thigh. Castle cracked one eye open and glared at her, "Don't tease me, Kate."

She pulled her hand back and sat up, with a flick of her wrist her bikini top was in the grass and she leaned over top of him. "Who's teasing, Castle." She said as she licked her lips seductively while she straddled him. "I'm hungry."

He smiled, "You'll give a guy a big head if you keep it up."

Kate grinned wide and smacked him in the gut again.

"Ow." he groaned.

She got a wicked grin and wiggled her eyebrows, "Want me to kiss it and make it all better?"

An hour later she lay against him in the pool side chair, sighing in contentment as Rick stroked her hair, with a stupid grin on his face. He liked it when she took control and she was more than willing considering how much she loved him. He'd become such a part of her that she was beginning to understand her partner's need for her wife. Gone were the days of her needing to prove her independence, he'd shown her that he didn't mind and she loved him all that much more for it. They were becoming inseparable. Her partner was right, all they'd needed was a little time alone to figure it out.

Kate draped her leg over Rick and stroked his chest with the edge of her nails, although she couldn't say Richard Castle was a masochist, they'd both found out that they liked it with just a little edge of rough to it. No bruises, no scratches, just firm grips and light nibbles. Who knew they were so well matched. They still fought, but they never quit talking and they never quit loving each other. And Kate was finally ready to make the leap with him.

"Are you asleep yet." She asked mischievously again.

"No, but I'm hot. How about we move inside?" His smile turned lopsided and cute, "Or there's the pool?" His hopeful voice had her ready to get up and dive in just like she was now.

She groaned as her phone rang.

"You'd think with all of the sex they have and trying to get pregnant," Rick chuckled, "Jane wouldn't have time to call."

"You would think," Kate chuckled as she picked up her phone and looked at the caller. Her expression went from playful to serious in an instant, "It's Colin."

She answered it. "Hey, boyo."

Rick could hear the muffled voice of her Irish friend.

An instant later she was on her feet. "Code Blue, copy. Have Jane pack me a kit."

Rick got up to his feet as Kate hung up her phone.

"What's up?" He asked in concern.

"Someone took a shot at Abbie Griffin." She said as she rushed back into Castle's castle. "I've got to go."

He knew better than to try and stop her. "I'll come with you."

She stopped. "Rick, you can't. This is my fight. The last thing I need to do before I can marry you. I can't do that if I'm worried about where you are."

"I have just as much in this as you." He protested,

"Rick." She said and put her hands on his bare chest. "Please. Let me do this one thing without you. I need to know your safe. Besides, Alexis, Maura, and Abbie's family are all headed to Springfield and I need you there."

"What's in Springfield." He asked.

Kate pushed through the bedroom door, still naked. "Fort Justice. The only place we know that we can keep our families safe."

She rushed through a shower and threw on some jeans and a T-shirt.

Rick wanted to go with her, but knew she would never forgive him. It was her greatest fear, losing him to the Raven. So he slipped on some shorts and grabbed her gear for her while she was in the shower.

He hated it, but this one time he'd respect her wishes.

He got her riding boots and handed them to her along with the Glock 19 he'd bought for himself shortly after Jane and Maura were attacked in their condo.

"Here." He said as he handed her the weapon in its holster. "Jane has your kit, but I'd feel better if you were carrying before you meet up."

She smiled up at him and clipped it to her pants behind her back. "I'm coming back, Castle. We're putting it all behind us and then I'm going to marry you."

Rick slid his arms around her. "Be careful because I'm going to hold you to that."

She kissed him passionately before he let her go. Kate grabbed her helmet as she rushed into the eight car garage filled with his toys. She thought about taking his Ferrari, but she wanted her own ride. The Hayabusa was her biggest temptation, but she slid onto her Harley and started it up.

Rick appeared next to her. "I love you."

She smiled grabbed a handful of his shirt and jerked his lips to hers. Their tongues danced in the heated frenzy of that kiss before she let go and tore out of the garage and down the driveway at break neck speed.

 **Boston, MA.**

"Gah. This would be so much easier if I was a man." Jane griped as she sat down on the bed. Her body sore from the medical procedure that had used her like a cornfield at harvest time. "All I'd have to do is jerk off in a cup."

All she'd wanted to do was lay down in their bedroom for a few minutes.

"Don't be crude." Her wife chided. "Besides, if you were a man we could forego the cup."

"Instead I get poked, prodded, and stuck in my privates." She grumbled as she looked up at her beautiful bride. She cupped Maura's face gently, affectionately looking into those hazel green eyes. "The things I do for you."

"Well, it's over now." Maura said softly. "They got twenty three eggs on the extraction. That gives us eight turns at having a child since they inseminate in groups of four."

Jane smiled brightly, "Of which four of them are in you right now." She pressed her fingers to her wife's lower belly.

"Three actually," Maura said. "They put the lightened group in because this is our first attempt. The rest were frozen in cryogenic suspension."

Jane smiled. "You have my baby inside you."

Maura eased down next to her. "I have your fertilized eggs inside me. We won't know if the pregnancy will take for a week or two."

Grinning widely with her teeth fully displayed Jane stroked her wife stomach. "I can't wait to meet him."

"Or her."

"Or her." She corrected.

Maura leaned over her wife and kissed her softly. Her lips burned and her body ignited with the heat of desire. Such simple touches from Jane sent Maura spinning off into wanton need to touch the surly woman. Jane was the best love she'd ever had and no one set her on fire like that.

Jane forced herself away, though the aching need to make love to her wife was strong. "Should we do this?"

Maura pulled away startled, "What?"

Jane bit her lip gently. "Should we be doing this right after they put it in you?"

Maura smiled realizing what her wife meant. "It won't affect it. Jane, please, I need you."

With her trademark smirk Jane cupped the back of Maura's head, digging her fingers into the honey blonde hair. "The things I do for you."

Maura smile as Jane pulled the smaller woman on top of her and began unbuttoning the crimson blouse.

Jane shamelessly ogled the bounty contained within the sexy lace bra. "All mine." She said as she leaned in to kiss those shapely mounds of flesh.

Maura pushed her away and pulled the tank top off her wife. She looked down at Jane's smaller breasts and hard stomach.

"All mine." She corrected and slid off Jane to kiss those hard abs. "You'll have to share for a while, but I don't."

"You most certainly will share."Jane scoffed.

Maura looked up from kissing Jane's belly. "Excuse me?"

Jane smiled, "I won't be nursing, but the pamphlets and books say that it's an important bonding experience for a daughter to suckle her ma."

Maura sat up, "You read them!"

Jane stroked her love's hair, "It was long, tedious, and I thought I would die of boredom but yeah, I read them."

"So you want her to suckle you."

"If you can let a newborn baby you delivered in a spa suckle you in a hospital, I can let my own baby suckle me."

Maura stripped off her shirt and her bra followed. "Oh Jane."

"Really, that does it for ya?" Jane snickered. "Having a baby gum my boobs gets you going?"

She straddled her love gently. "No, but you being maternal does."

Maura hunched over as Jane tipped her head up. Their lips met and it was like the first time all over again.

* * *

Maura lay on top of Jane, thoroughly in love and completely satisfied. Jane stroked her back gently. Tracing random patterns on her love's spine. The phone rang again for the third time since they started.

Maura groaned and reached for the coffee table. She found the phone and pulled it to her.

"Who ever it is, I'm busy." Jane said as she cupped Maura's behind.

"It's Colin."

Jane froze. "Answer it."

Maura did, "Hello Colin... Yes she's right here."

Jane grumbled about upsetting the mood and took the phone. "Yeah, whats up."

Maura rested her head next to Jane's and nibbled at her ear.

"Shit!" She cursed. Maura was about to correct her when Jane said. "No, I'm on my way. Yeah I'll pack her a kit first."

Jane hung up. "I've got to go."

Maura leaned back, "What's wrong"

"Someone took a shot at Abbie."

Maura's heart sank. "You're going to Washington."

Jane nodded, "I have to. Not just for Kate, but for you and the baby, too. But, I need you to pack up here."

"What!?" Maura said in surprise.

"Maur, Kieran's going to take you to Colin's. I need you, Alexis, Ma, and Abbie's boys in the van and on your way, tonight. Liv is waiting on all of you right now."

"You don't think that we're in danger?"

Jane sighed, "Maur, what I know is that very soon, people are going to want to know where you and Abbie's kids are. I need to know that you're safe and I promised Abbie that wherever you go, the boys go too. Please baby, do this for me."

Maura didn't like leaving Jane alone, but her solace was knowing that she, Kate, and Colin would be there to cover each other's backs. "Don't do anything stupid, Jane Rizzoli."

Jane pulled her wife close,. "I promise, baby. I'll be back soon."

Within an hour, Jane had two duffels strapped to her bike, Kieran was piling Maura and the boys in the van Colin had provided and Ma was protesting leaving her home.

"MA!" Jane finally shouted, "Those boys need you, Jeremy is a good kid, but he's still a kid. Only you are a good enough mother to handle all of them. Just get in the van and Kieran will take care of everything."

"Jane, I can't just leave." Angela protested.

Jane grabbed her mother by the shoulders, "Ma, listen to me, please. Go with Maura. she needs you, she can't take care of Jeremy, Jason, and Justin by herself, especially when she might be pregnant."

Angela's protests died right there, "You mean…"

"Yeah, we got the procedure done. She could have your grand baby inside her right now. Don't you want to be there when she finds out if it takes?"

Angela pulled her daughter to her and Jane squirmed, "Oh baby, you could be having a baby."

"I know Ma, and that's why she needs you. Get in the van." Jane begged.

Angela shook a finger at her, "You better be careful, missy."

"I will Ma, I swear."

Angela finally got in the van.

Kieran shook his head, "Of all the things Jane, this is a ride I'm not looking forward to.

"Just make sure to go get Alexis from the Morgue before you hit the road and as soon as you're out of Massachusetts, you stay off the toll roads."

"I got it, boss. Good luck." he said and climbed in.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Everyone get ready cause here we go. Winding up for some serious action coming. in the meantime, how about a little tension. This one goes out to the commenters who made their opinions known about John Griffin. I sense tension in the air, or on the page actually. please, I want to know what you think so please leave a comment. Also anyone who was interested in more of the JJ-Emily arc let me know. I'm brainstorming.**_

* * *

 **Eastbound I-70**

 **Near Beaver Creek, MD.**

Abbie adjusted her seat in the back of the suburban and finally gave up on being comfortable and looked over at Booth, "So how long are we going to ride around on this loop?"

He looked back at her and shook his head, "We're actually waiting but it's not safe to sit in one spot so here we are."

She saw a sign for Hagerstown and pointed, "C'mon Booth, this is the third time we've passed Hagerstown. Can we at least stop to use the bathroom?"

"There's a rest area on I-81 that's easier to secure," he said. "I'm sorry Abbie, but I have to think of your safe…"

He caught sight of two motorcycles in his rear view bobbing and weaving through traffic, Booth pulled his weapon out of the center console and kept it in his lap as the two bikes came up behind them. They split the lane and each went to a side of the suburban. He breathed in relief as Rizzoli nodded to him from his side of the truck. He looked out the passenger window to see Beckett there too. Instantly feeling a little more at ease, Booth looked back at Abbie, "They're here."

Abbie straightened up in her seat as her doppelganger fell back behind the truck along with another rider she was sure must be Kate. She collapsed into the back seat and sighed, "Thank god."

Booth lead the way for twenty more minutes until he pulled off at the rest area, Both bikes lined up next to him and shut down.

Abbie waited for Jane to come to the door and open it for her.

"Hey," she said quickly, "How you holding up?"

Abbie shook her head and looked at Jane's all black leather clothing, She had a gun strapped to her thigh and a leather vest under a riding jacket. Under the jacket Abbie could see another gun at her hip on the opposite side. "I'm okay. My boys?"

"With Maura and my mother on their way out to the middle of nowhere." She said as Kate came up to her partner and looked at Abbie,

"She okay?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, just worried about her kids." Jane said.

"Trust me, they're a whole lot safer than we are." Kate said, "Can we go secure the restroom, I have to pee like crazy."

"That sounds good to me." Abbie said, "Booth?"

"You ladies go on, I'll keep an eye on our vehicles."

He sat and waited, about five minutes later they came back, each looking relieved and Abbie holding a bottle of coke she'd gotten from the vending machine.

Jane smiled at Booth and shook her head, "Man, I feel five pounds lighter."

"You're not kidding, Partner." Kate agreed.

"So what are we doing now, going back to DC?" Abbie asked.

Booth's eyes turned to the freeway as a very loud bike pulled off and made a U-Turn in the median. The bike crossed traffic and roared up the Rest Area ramp. Booth went for his gun, but Jane stopped him and looked at Abbie, "We're waiting on him."

The black monster downshifted and rolled to a stop in line with Jane and Kate's bikes. He shut it down and pulled his helmet off before leaning the bike on its kickstand.

Booth recognized him immediately."Sergeant, O'Malley." He said.

"Agent Booth," Colin said as he slid of the bike and stood up to his full height. He looked over at Kate, Jane, and Abbie, but did a double take at the last one.

"Liv said that they favor, but I didn't know they ran Jane through the copy machine." He said as his friends embraced him.

Jane and Kate both hugged their old friend, "Ugh, I'm so glad my enlistment is up and now that you two live in my hometown, it'll be all that much easier to see ya lasses."

"So as much as we miss you, this isn't a social call." Kate said and indicated the attorney in the suit, "This is Abbie Griffin."

Colin walked towards her and held out his hand, his blue eyes never leaving her brown ones. "Miss. Griffin, I'm Colin O'Malley and I'll be in charge of keeping you safe."

Abbie was speechless as a strange buzzing sensation filled her hand when he grasped it and when he let go it left the rest of her skin tingling all over. She looked him over, taking in every detail of the man from his six foot two height with his dark brown hair, his blue eyes and cheeky smile, the way his shirt clung to him in all the right ways. His arms were well defined and scrolled with Celtic tattoos. He was armed with a black pistol that was strapped to his right hip, his black cargoes were pressed much like a soldier, and his combat boots were sharp and shiny. However, as he looked at her, Abbie felt her pulse speed up. There was just something about him that caught her attention. He was all male hotness that made her feel incredibly feminine standing next to him. She shook off the thoughts running through her mind and finally spoke the first clear thought she had.

"Thank you," she said, hoping that how flustered she was wasn't as visible as she thought it was, "Jane said that you're the best."

He gave her a lopsided grin that was hard not to stare at, "She exaggerates. I'm merely a soldier who gets things done."

Jane glanced at Kate, her eyes wide open. _Is Colin flirting with her!?_

Kate shook her head and returned, _Oh boy! I think so and she's turning into putty._

 _She's Married! Jane sent._

Kate nodded, _And they've got chemistry._

Jane stepped up next to her friend, "Hey, Boyo. Probably not a good idea to hang around here in the open."

Colin looked at Jane and nodded before looking at Booth, "You have a safe house somewhere?"

"I got one set up in Falls Church." Booth said confidently.

"No good." Colin pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Booth. "I've got several defendable structures at discrete distances from DC. I've got a friend near A.P. Hill who can help but I want to keep it away from him if I can. For now, we're going to set up in a place I know in Maryland. It's safe, discrete, and isolated." He pointed at the envelope, "That is a list of things that I need you to acquire since I'm not exactly popular in the beltway."

He opened the envelope and perused the list, "No problem. I can handle this."

"Okay, then," Kate clapped her hands together, "So let's get moving. I'm hungry and I'm tired."

"Damn right," Jane added, "It's been a hard ride."

"Alright, then mount up." Colin said, he looked back again at Abbie as Booth escorted her back into the truck.

WHen the attorney was in the truck, Jane patted Colin on the shoulder, "You know she's married, right?"

He looked oddly at her, "What exactly are you saying, Jane?"

Kate slung her leg over her bike, "Colin, we saw it."

He shrugged Jane off, "I dinna know what yer talkin'bout." But, as his brogue thickened, they both knew better.

"Seriously, Colin," Jane said as she strapped her helmet on, "Is this going to be a problem for you?"

"In all the years I've known you, I've never seen you react to meeting someone like that." Kate said as she straightened her bike.

"Right. Actually, I'm a little offended," Jane said as she turned on her bike.

He looked at her, "Why?"

"Because she's virtually identical to me and you've never once looked at my ass like that."

Jane's bike drowned out Kate's laughter and Colin felt his cheeks flush at the comment.

"I didn't know you were looking." He sighed and started his bike.

 **Ten miles from Columbia, MD**

Colin turned off of Production Drive and pulled on to an unnamed industrial road. His bike kicked up some gravel as he goosed ahead of his convoy. He quickly bypassed the first and second warehouse before coming to a stop at the third. Half the size of the others, it looked a breath away from being condemned.

Colin shut his bike down and climbed off, reached into his pocket for keys and unlocked the massive padlock on the door. Booth pulled up next to him and frowned.

"Where the hell are we?" Booth asked in irritation.

Colin looked up at him, "What? You weren't watching the way we came in?"

"I know where we are," Booth snapped, "But, where are we?"

"Oh," Colin got that cheeky grin of his, "One of about ten investment properties that Gilbert Huff owns along the Eastern Seaboard. Their all in his ex stepdaughter's name for Tax purposes. No one knows about it, no one's looking for it."

Booth looked back along the gravel drive and frowned at Jane and Kate who were still sitting on their bikes behind him, eyes watching everywhere.

He looked back at Colin, "And you call this secure?"

Colin chuckled as he dropped the lock on the ground and turned the lever holding the door closed, "Not so much secure as a secret." He backed away from the door, "Just pull it in will ya?"

Booth snorted and rolled the window up before pulling the big SUV into the warehouse. Jane and Kate followed suit and Colin brought up the rear on his own bike. He signaled Jane and Kate to park it and he lead the way around the suburban to the far wall. They parked next to him and dismounted. Booth kept Abbie in the truck and made no move to leave until they secured the building.

Colin had Kate shut the door while he and Jane went to a power box. A moment later he had the lights on. Jane and Kate pulled guns and disappeared from view, while Colin fired up an overhead crane and lowered a steel shipping container to the ground. A moment later Kate and Jane returned with head nods to Colin and Booth. Colin signaled Booth that it was clear and the FBI agent finally got out of the car, he looked in all directions for threats before opening the back door for Abbie.

"Okay." Booth said as Colin went to unlock the steel box, "I give up, what's the deal?"

Colin smiled as he shoved a key into the lock and it fell away, "In anticipation for this mission I took the liberty of setting up a few things. This has been here since two weeks after LETO."

He swung the door open and shined a flashlight inside. There were stacks of black storage cases lining both sides of the crate. "Sergeant Griggs and I assembled a small arsenal and equipment for our use, Everything we could think of for sustained defense and secure transportation."

Abbie went to stand near the partners as Booth shined a flashlight inside. He walked in and looked at all the labels.

"An arsenal is right," Booth whistled, "But we're all going to prison if this box really has AT-4s in it."

Colin nodded, "It does, Single fire Rocket launchers with shaped charges that focus the blast forward. That reduces the chance of innocent casualties. There's also body armor, boots, BDUs and case upon case of standard, subsonic, and armor piercing ammunition."

Booth shook his head in disbelief as he walked out of the sea container, "Now all we need is an armored transport."

Colin shook his head, "O' ye o' wee faith. There's an LAV stored underneath you and Griggs will be here tonight with a fully armor Suburban and a few more toys. I'm not going to let my people down Booth." He pointed his finger at the fed, "You've got my word. Now you need to arrange for a Marshal to deputize this lot so we can carry inside the courthouse."

Booth nodded, "I can do that." He reached into his jacket to get his phone.

"Wait until we're heading into town." Colin said to the Fed, "The jammers in here won't let you make a call."

"Jammers?' Booth raised an eyebrow.

"Your FBI, you know how easy it is to track a cell phone." Colin smiled. "I've been killing your signal ever since we met up at the rest area."

Abbie looked at Booth, "And I thought _you_ were paranoid."

"So what's the plan here?" Booth asked.

Colin looked around, "We can use this as a base for a week or two, but no more. After that we're going to draw enough attention to have to move around a lot."

Kate stepped up, "So let's get started."

"Right," Colin pointed to a row of offices with two adjoining fingers. "Let's get those cleaned out and usable for bunk rooms. Girls in one, boys in the other. The bathroom is in the corner and while Griggs was setting this up, he put something that resembles a shower in there so our prosecutor can be presentable in court though he said it's going to need a thorough cleaning." He then pointed at the crate, "I've got good old fashioned Army cots in there as well as a few air mattresses and blankets enough to go around. There's also clothing and equipment for all of you." He looked to Abbie and smiled in a devilish grin, "My dear, Liv Benson told me that you and Jane are about the same size so I used her sizes to arrange for a few suits for you. They're not the greatest, but somehow I don't think a judge will think too highly of you in battle dress uniform."

"Are you kidding? I'd be grateful just to get out of this suit. I've been wearing it for almost three days," she griped.

Colin walked into the container and, after shining his flashlight around, pulled a black hard case off the shelf and set it on the floor. "Then you're in luck. This one is for you. I don't know exactly what's in here because my head medic packed it for you."

Abbie didn't ask any more questions, she just grabbed it by the handle and drug it towards the suburban, "If it's got a change of underwear I couldn't care less what the rest is."

Jane snickered and grabbed the other end of the case.

* * *

A few hours later, everything was sorted, inventoried, and packed away again. The offices were set up with three cots each and the bathroom was clean. Griggs had even packed away a few basic hygiene affairs although everyone was certain that Hill had helped as evident when the women got the female case into their room and much to Abbie's delight, found Venus disposable razors. Abbie was the first into the shower and after cleaning the sweat off her, washing her hair, and shaving her legs, she felt like a new woman. In her personal case was typical basic cotton undergarments, a selection of four suits with slacks, black BDU cargo pants, and a series of black shirts. She currently wore the cargo pants and a turtleneck with boots that were a size too big. Apparently, she had Jane's clothing size but Kate's shoe size. Something that Colin assured her would be corrected when Griggs arrived.

Meanwhile Kate and Jane were currently checking out the Heckler and Koch G36 assault rifles for serviceability. They used 5.56MM rounds, the exact same as their M4's at their departments. Colin had supplied them with a case of 30 round battle magazines and easy loaders as well as a couple of hundred round drums for each of them. Abbie sat with them and in an effort to feel like she was doing something, she picked up a loader and a box of subsonics.

"Man this thing looks badass." Jane whispered as she looked into the breach. "I'm not a gun nut but I want one of these."

"Colin said their nail drivers," Kate said as she shoved round after round into the mags. "That's why he had us send him pictures of our M4 sight settings."

"Okay, I know you don't know me that well, but I need a handgun." Abbie said as she picked up a magazine, clipped a loader on the end, and started feeding rounds into it.

Jane looked up at her, "Are you any good?"

There was no sarcasm or doubt in her voice, merely the question. Still Abbie scoffed at her, "Honey, I grew up in Texas and I'm willing to bet that I'm a better shot than you."

"You'd lose that bet." Kate said as she picked up another mag and attached the feeder to it She started pumping rounds into the magazine. "I've never seen anyone so accurate. I keep telling her to sign up for top shot, but she won't do it."

"That's because I'm not a competition shooter." She grumbled. "I'm perfectly happy with not broadcasting my capabilities.

"Sound advice" Colin said as he walked to the door and looked straight at Abbie. "Can you join me at the container? I'd like you to try something on."

And just as quickly as he'd came, he was gone. Abbie glanced to her double then frowned at Kate's amused smile.

Jane waved a hand as she held her rifle. "If he's asking, it's important."

She set the magazine down, got up off her cot, and walked out. She didn't see the looks that Kate passed Jane or Jane's amused wink.

Four magnetic LED lights clung to the metal roof and Abbie found him pulling something large out of the bag that had been on the back of his bike. He held up a dark grey object that looked kind of like a Kevlar vest. Made up of two very stiff fabric like plates, it was only open on the sides. The back was curved to match the arch of a person's shoulders and back and the front had curves obviously designed to accommodate breasts. There was some overlap in the sides and three serious looking clips on either side along the ribs. It looked alot like Jane's torso the one time Abbie saw it.

"Lose the shirt please and try this on." He said.

"What is it?" She asked.

"An experimental body armor made of graphene." He unhooked the front. "And since I wasn't about to just put you in something that wasn't battle tested without some insurance, It also has a solid kevlar bi-weave with titanium plates. Some friends of mine developed it a few years ago."

She frowned. "Battle tested? You mean you don't know if it works?"

"I know it works," he said. "It proved unstoppable in lab tests and I took a round in one last year though the punch is pretty hard. But, it hasn't been field tested because of certain manufacturing difficulties which means I don't know how big a round it will take." He held it up. "Just down to your undershirt is fine."

Her heartbeat sped up at what he was asking. "Yeah, the thing is I'm not Jane. I don't have a tank on under this." She indicated her turtleneck.

His face flushed as he realized what she was saying. "Alright."

He set it down and started to walk away, embarrassed. Abbie caught him by the arm. Though he didn't seem that way with either Jane or Kate, for some reason he was bashful around her and it was sending her vitals spinning. He hadn't given either Jane or Kate a second glance when they damn near stripped naked to gear up. In her mind, Abbie reminded herself that he was a soldier and that he was trying to keep her safe and if the Partners could do it, so could she.

Her pulse racing, Abbie took a breath and pulled off her turtleneck. Standing topless save for her bra, she instinctively covered herself, but nodded to him.

Colin tried to keep the color from his cheeks as he picked up the armor. "It weighs in at around twenty seven pounds, that's the titanium." He held it up and Abbie stepped into it quickly. Her arms out, Colin fastened it to her while trying not to think of how gorgeous she was or how neatly she fit into his arms.

"Twenty seven pounds my ass, this thing weighs a ton." She said gruffly. "And why does it fit so well?"

"This one was formed using Jane's body measurements." he closed his eyes, trying very hard to believe it was Jane he was strapping into it. "She volunteered to help me run more tests on it."

His hand touched her bare rib as he set the buckles and she watched his cheeks turn redder. Just as she was about to bump his hand, he stepped away and abbie's head caught up with her. She chastised herself mentally for even thinking of such things.

"Good. Let me help you get that shirt back on."

To clear her mind she focused on the weight, "If it was made for Jane, shouldn't she be wearing it?"

Colin held Abbie's turtleneck in front of her and looked into her eyes. "Jane can't put Bracken away for life. That's why you're the one wearing this." He held the shirt open. "But, this doesn't do a lot of good if it's not concealable."

Abbie allowed him to pull the shirt over her body. "When you say you don't know how big of a round it can take." She looked up at him.

He didn't meet her gaze, "I mean that I don't know if it can take cop killers on its own. Although they don't manufacture them anymore, Black Talons are still on the market today, along with a dozen other armor piercing rounds. The Kevlar and titanium are insurance in case the graphene fails. Try to move around a bit."

She took a few heavily laden steps and frowned. "It's really heavy. I don't think I could wear this day in and day out."

"Unfortunately you'd need to wear it whenever we leave until we come back." He touched the armor in several different places, making sure it had no protrusions."Can you try the case in it."

She tried to walk around some more and then tried to sit down on a box, she almost fell, but Colin caught her. Her blood heated with his arms around her as he held on to her and Abbie found herself grateful that there was a shell of armour separating her from the feel of his broad chest pressed against her.

"It's too solid." she said breathily as he put her up on her feet again, thankful that her voice was naturally husky. "I'd have to stand in it and that makes for a really long day. Let alone day in and day out."

"That's what I was afraid of." he said though it sounded like he wasn't talking about body armor.

She looked up at him again, "What?"

Colin realized he was still holding her, worse yet, her arm covering his and her fingertips resting on the back of his palm. He let her go, gently, "This rig was built for Jane. She's much stronger physically than most women her size, and i didn't take that into account. I'll have to come up with an alternative."

He helped her pulled her shirt over her head and this time she let him unstrap her while remaining perfectly still. He set the armor down and handed her the shirt without looking at her.

"Is it really going to be that bad?" She asked after she'd pulled her shirt on and adjusted the collar.

"I really don't know." he said, "I was hoping that this could be worn during the trial, but the titanium won't let you sit down, aside from that, it was concealable enough, it made you look a little bulkier, fortunately no more than Jane herself."

Abbie scowled,"I can't wear a bulletproof vest in court without insulting the judge."

"WHich means it has to be concealable." Colin got a look in his eye.

He pulled open the armor and started removing the plates and stacking them in some kind of order. Once the last plate was removed he nodded to her, "One more time, though you could probably put it on yourself now."

He set it down but before he could turn she was already half naked again and holding her shirt over her chest. "C'mon, let's just get to it."

He got a wry grin and slid the armor over her shoulders again, focusing on the details instead of the woman who was so very close to him. "Without the titanium it weighs just seven pounds. Its ballistic qualities are still impressive, but without the titanium, I don't know how well it will stand up to AP fire. But, I have some ideas about how to fix that."

Once she was firmly placed inside, he nodded, "How about now?"

She walked around with a significantly lighter step and when she sat down on the hardcase, she was stiff, but wasn't falling down. "It doesn't flex very much, but I can manage this." She looked up at him, "So how do we put the insurance back in this to where I can do my job and you feel comfortable with its stopping ability?"

"I can't." He said and started setting the plates in a bin, "But, what I can do is take these plates and when Griggs gets here, we can remove the Kevlar liner and install it on a flak jacket. This," he indicated the grey armor, "Is just going to have to be the last ditch defense."

"Which means?" she asked twirling her finger.

He finally looked into her eyes, "I'm going to put you in tactical body armor when we leave, the flak jacket will have these plates in it," he helt up a stack of Titanium, "and you'll wear it to and from court. Inside the courtroom we'll take it off you and leave just the graphene hidden beneath your shirt. Before you leave we'll suit you up again and you'll wear it all the way back here."

She looked into his sea blue eyes, "A case this high profile, you think I'd get shot in court?"

"I think anything is possible." He said as he started unbuckling the armor, "I tend to not take anything for granted which is also why we'll be with you every step of the way in this and we'll be armed to the teeth."

"You can't carry in court." She said as he set the vest on a crate.

"Marshals can and we will be deputized before you go in there." He tilted his head over his shoulder towards her. "Anyone comes after you and they'll have to take me first, then they'll have to go through Jane and Kate first. Believe me, It's no easy task to get by them."

"You make them sound like Wonder Woman and Supergirl."

He gave her a lopsided smile that gave her a slight shudder as his blue eyes gleamed, "Kate is a great cop and a damn good fighter. Jane, however, is a lot more than she seems. Believe me, Miss Griffin, she's deadly at ten feet."

"Look this Miss Griffin thing is getting old." She said, hating the way her name sounded for reasons she didn't want to think about, "Call me Abbie."

A metal on metal knock sounded on the door and Kate stuck her head in, "Hey, a car's coming, It looks like Griggs but…"

That charming smile that warmed Abbie vanished into a battle hardened face of a soldier as he pulled a battle rifle from its resting place against the steel wall and looked at Abbie. "Stay in here." He said as he stepped out and shut the door, locking her in. "Booth! Griffin's inside, no one gets passed you!"

"On it!" Booth rushed over to the container as Colin slapped a magazine into the rifle and racked it on his way out of the warehouse.

Kate was already out the door, set up behind a debris pile. Jane rushed into a defensive position behind a dumpster, weapon ready and safety off. Colin stopped right in the middle of the gravel road, out in the open.

The shape of the headlights indicated a suburban, but Colin didn't breathe easy until the hazards flashed twice and the lights went out before the parking lights came on.

Colin flashed his barrel light twice and received the brights. "Clear!" He shouted, "Kate get that door open and let Booth know that it's one of ours."

She came up from behind the rock pile and pulled the door open. "It's our truck, but keep Abbie inside until we confirm!"

Booth nodded from behind the container. The black suburban creaked heavily as it rolled passed Jane. Her weapon never left it as it pulled inside and parked next to the other suburban.

The engine shut off and Griggs jumped out, "Welcome Wagon has arrived!" He shouted and popped the door locks. "Sarge had me bring you a few more things that we thought of after the fact."

He pulled open each door and everyone was surprised when a tall platinum blonde-haired woman climbed out of the passenger seat. She stood equal in height to the partners. Her camouflage army uniform did nothing to hide her very well-endowed female figure. Her blue-grey eyes were focused straight on Colin. "Thought you could use a medic so I skipped out on the hospital."

He slammed the bay door shut and waved his hand at Booth before he focused his attention solely on the woman, "Now, I toll you to stay there!"

Booth unlatched the door to the container and pulled it open, but his eyes focused on the confrontation.

"Goddamn it, Julia! How many times you been busted back down to Specialist because you canna follow a simple order like stay da fuck home!?"

Abbie walked out of the container, a gun in her hand and stood in open-mouthed surprise at the Army sergeant who was grilling this woman. She was about to say something when what he said stopped her.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous a position we be in!?" He snarled, "You have yer niece to take care o', do you understand? Yer da only family she got left and she fooking worships you! Pack yer things and get on da first transport back to her, right now!"

"No, Sir!" she shouted defiantly.

Colin blinked, "Excuse me, Specialist! Did I just hear you be insubordinate to a superior noncommissioned officer?"

She looked him straight in the eye, "No, sir. You heard me be insubordinate to a civilian. Like it or not, Sarge, you failed to re-up and that makes you a civilian and off post, you are not in charge. You are in a dangerous situation, I understand that, but that also means you're in need of a good combat medic. I'm a licensed Nurse Practitioner, so I'm the next best thing to a doctor you know. Like it or not, I'm here to stay. Dani understands that my country needs me."

"And wha'happen to her if you get shot? Huh?" He growled, "Wha'happen to her if you die?"

She grinned mischievously, "Then you'd better not die too because you're her next of kin in my will."

He opened his mouth to say something, but her words flat lined him, "What the hell do I know bout kids?"

Julia smirked at him, "Then it's a good thing most of your friends are women, Sarge."

He groaned, "Julia, listen to me. No matter what happens, you nae ever leave the vehicle. Because that little girl has lost too much as it is. Dinnae disappoint her by losing you too."

Abbie was touched by his concern for her. He'd screamed at her for, against orders, willfully marching into their situation. And the soldier had a child at home and had been ordered to stay by Colin. She couldn't fathom how this tough rigid soldier could care so much. It made her heart flutter.

Jane walked by the medic and growled at her. "You should go home Julia. This is no place for you."

"What she said," Kate echoed as she followed her partner. "You've got too much to lose and that little girl is depending on you."

Julia glared at both of them. "And what kind of a country would I be raising her in if this son of a bitch gets into the white house?"

"The trial has started." Abbie said from the container, "He'll never sit in the White House now."

"But, he can bring hitmen to your home." Booth snapped. "That's why all of us sent our families to you."

"And I signed up to be a soldier." Hill barked back, "I may be a weekend warrior but I still swore an oath to defend this country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I've been to Iraq, I've been to Afghanistan. How can I look Dani in the eye and tell her that someone else is fighting for our home on our home soil. What kind of a mother would I be? You are all willing to make that sacrifice, how can you ask me to walk away when the fight is here, in Washington DC of all places?"

Colin looked at Griggs, "And you bought this?"

"Like it or not, you could use a medic if it goes south." The cuban sergeant said firmly, "I'd have preferred someone else, but Hill is the best we have."

Colin sighed in resignation before glaring at her, "You get shot and I'll kill you myself."

She smiled and saluted, "Understood sir."

"Nae you call me sir." He growled and headed away from them and back to Abbie, "Griggs, open up the back and follow me. We've got work to do." He paused and looked at Julia, "And since you can nae follow orders, you get the shite detail of sewing Kevlar, mazel tov."

She narrowed her eyes on him and helped Griggs open the back of the suburban.

Twenty minutes later, Griggs brought another cot into the ladies' bunkroom and set it down. He looked at the other three and frowned. "It's getting crowded in here." He said with mirth.

Jane glared up at him. "Just put it by Kate and let us get some sleep. The pillow fight wore me out." and she rolled on her side.

Griggs grinned at the thought of a pillow fight between the beautiful women in this room, "I'm pretty good with a pillow." He said in fun. ""Though I'm sure Jane could take teeth out with one."

Kate chuckled, "That's because she sleeps on a brick."

He laughed and tossed a pistol on Jane's bunk. "Colin said Griffin wanted a handgun. 40 cal Smith and Wesson M&P. Make sure she doesn't take her foot off."

Jane sneered at him, "You know she's from Texas right?"

"And I'm from South Florida." He shrugged and walked away.


	17. Chapter 17

**_A/N: So the team is assembled and Abbie has the most vested group of people to protect her. I worked hard on seting this up and i hope that you enjoy the next few chapters as much as i enjoyed writing them._**

* * *

 **The Base**

 **Ten miles out of Columbia, Md.**

"Okay, so I'm afraid we're starting off with some bad news." Colin said as he stood in front of the map of DC and the surrounding area that had been taped to the wall. His entire crew was standing in attendance. Abbie sat in front with Kate and Jane flanking her. Booth and Griggs stood directly behind her while Hill sat off to one side.

"The United States Attorney Charles Bellamy died at Bethesda Hospital six hours ago." He said as he bowed his head, "As you are aware he was shot outside of the US courthouse in DC while giving a press conference. This is the reason we were called in. Your entire priority is the preservation of Abbie's life so that she can put this dosser in the slammer where he belongs. Trial begins at the United States District Court in DC at nine am today. That gives us three hours to gear up, meet with our contact from the US Marshals Service to be deputized, and get her to the court safely. We are going in heavily loaded and ready for action. Remember that Abbie will be in full body armor and we are going with the bravo insertion plan. The truck will pull right up front off of Constitution and Pennsylvania, as close to the steps as we can get it with the security pylons. We will avoid the garage at all costs since it's a death trap for a variety of reasons, including bombs, ambushes, and choke points. In the event that we get cut off from the truck on extraction, we go immediately to Charlie plan.

"Under no circumstances is Abbie to be out of sight." He looked at her, "If you use the latrine, Jane or Kate is in the stall with you."

She nodded. "Understood."

"Okay, so let's get it done and remember, weapons loaded from the time we hit the Beltway until we're out again, check your safeties and watch your fire. We're loaded with subsonic rounds to lower the chance of shoot through but the red taped mags are armor piercing so check your reloads, Clear?"

They all nodded.

"Griggs, I'd tell you that you're driving, but since Hill decided to stowaway on our mission, she gets the detail and you get the ground job."

"Roger that Sarge." He said happily. "I hate being in the rear anyway."

He nodded. "Gear up and mount up."

 **US District Court.**

 **Washington D.C.**

The heavy, armored Suburban pulled to a stop directly in the crosswalk of the United States District Court of Washington DC. Three of the four doors opened and a heavily armed security detail climbed out. Booth dropped out from the front passenger seat as two of the black figures, assault rifles at the ready and kneeled as two more held ready behind them. Abigail Griffin in full body armor was escorted out of the truck. She moved bulkily in the heavy body armor and Kevlar helmet but after the recent assassination of the US Attorney no one could blame her. The only change in their plan was the media circus had forced them to park, literally on the corner of the crosswalk, away from the actual drop off zone. The Metro police had been informed five minutes out that they would be arriving by the front trylon directly off the corner of Constitution and Pennsylvania avenues.

Once Abbie was on the ground Booth pulled his weapon and walked beside her as two guards took up forward positions and the other two fell to rear guard. The large SUV awaited on the sidewalk for the team to safely enter the court. The media pressed hard against the barriers to try to get the best sound the best pictures and shout their questions at her. But the guards, bearing US Marshal badging, kept her tight in the group.

As they climbed the steps to the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse, the guards kept the weapons at the ready. There were several officers of the court watching as well but anytime someone got close, they got the business end of an H&K in their face and were ordered to back away. Once inside, the guards lowered their weapons, but kept them at the ready as they moved straight to security.

A US Marshal led a team to the security checkpoint and held up his hands, "The District Court is a weapons free zone to unauthorized personnel."

Booth stepped out of the group and surrendered his side arm. "These are Marshals specially deputized for the purpose of security for Abigail Griffin. The Marshal Commander has granted them approval to carry with the sole purpose of Mrs. Griffin's safety." He pulled a document out of his pocket. "Here are the orders authorizing them to proceed fully armed."

He took the paper and looked it over. "You can't be armed without a judge's approval."

"That's not true," Abbie said from behind her guards, "The Marshals Service has every right to police the Federal Court system at their discretion since that is one of the many tasks that they perform."

Booth smiled, "Go ahead and call it in."

Five minutes later they were scanned for explosives and moved through the metal detector. Immediately they headed for the women's room. One went in and pushed several women out of the restroom before Abbie and two of the guards went in. It was a necessary pit stop after being in the car so long, but a few moments later, they were on their way to the courtroom. They paused briefly at the double doors as the point men entered weapons raised. More than a few gasps and shouts were heard around the courtroom at the sight, But the point men lowered their weapons as Booth and Abbie were escorted to the plaintiff's table. Two of her guards, allowing their rifles to dangle from their single point vest tethers, proceeded to strip Abbie of her armor and set it behind the table.

When Abbie was out of the flak armor, they split up and headed to the opposite walls, one near the court reporter, the other one near the jury box. The other two returned to the center aisle and took up stations on either side of the double doors. They all stood at parade rest. The Heckler and Koch rifles pointing towards the floor as they hung tethered to their tactical vests. Most of the people in the room settled, realizing that their whole job was to protect the AUSA.

The doors parted and William Bracken and his attorney Tobias Ball walked in. Immediately they stopped at the sight of the four figures in combat black. Bracken glowered, but Ball held a hand up to him and whispered in his ear. The former senator nodded and they continued on to the Defense table. The Marshal standing at the judge's bench walked through the judge''s door to inform him that all parties were present, the frenzy was starting to get ugly as the Judge walked out and banged his gavel, allowing the Marshal to make the announcement, "All rise! The United States District Court of Washington District of Columbia is now in session, Honorable Judge Lyle Collins presiding."

The judge looked up at the crowd and lowered his hands in a sitting motion. Tall, grey haired with a grizzled face, he'd been on the bench as many years as Abbie had been in law altogether. As the crowd sat, he glared at the four heavily armed people in his court, "Before we begin, could someone tell me why there is an army in my courtroom?"

Abbie stood up along with Booth. "Your honor, Abigail Griffin for the United States, these four people are necessary for my protection durring the trial of Mr. Bracken. Given the assassination of US Attorney Bellamy, both myself and Agent Seeley Booth of the FBI felt the need for the added security. US Marshal Winthrop agreed and authorized them to be armed in my presence."

The judge sighed, "Mr. Bellamy was a friend of mine. Do you have any conclusive evidence that there is an immediate threat to your life?"

She held a hand up to one of the figures in black. "Not in their presence. However, I respectfully remind his honor that Charles Bellamy was shot right here on the steps of this very court last week during a press conference about this very trial. I was not two feet from him at the time. I have no conclusive evidence that Senator Bracken poses a threat to my life or that he ordered the murder of Mr. Bellamy-"

"Objection!" Ball shouted. "Opposing counsel is inferring that my client orchestrated the murder of a US Attorney."

Abbie glared at him. "If I can prove it, I'll add it to the list of charges. Until then, I make no such accusation."

"Continue, Ms. Griffin." The judge said. "But, make it quick before I order them out."

Abbie cleared her throat, "As I said your honor, their purpose is bodyguard duty. Under the extreme circumstances of this trial, I respectfully request that my guards be permitted to stay and that they be permitted to remain masked to protect their identities and their families from retaliation from," She glared again at Bracken and his lawyer, "whatever party is responsible for Mr. Bellamy's murder."

"Your honor," Ball said, "With all due respect, this is a blatant attempt at intimidating my client with the might of the United States, comparable to conducting his trial in front of a firing squad. We request that the men in this detail be unmasked, their weapons removed, and that they be escorted from the courtroom."

Booth took that moment to pick up Abbie's flak jacket, ballistic leggings, and Kevlar helmet and move them to the nearest guard. He set them down in plain view of the judge, "Keep an eye on these will you?"

The guard nodded and remained at parade rest. Booth moved back to sit next to Abbie.

The judge glared at both the FBI agent and the body armor. "Ms. Griffin. I will allow your request on the condition that your bodyguards are to remain silent and in no way interfere with the function of this court beyond their mere presence."

She nodded, "Thank you, your honor."

"Now is the United States ready to proceed?" he asked.

"We are." She replied confidently.

"And the defense?"

"Ready, your honor." He said.

"Good. Marshal Kern, call the case file."

The Marshal picked up the clipboard and called out, "The United States v Senator William Bracken. The charges are-"

"Wave reading your honor." Ball called out, "The senator has been forced to resign from office, and there is no reason to humiliate him further."

"Very well." he said, "Your opening, Ms. Griffin."

Abbie stood up and walked towards the jury of twelve people. The guard nearest the jury and Bracken gripped her pistol in her holster.

"Ladies and gentlemen. You have been called here under the most dire of circumstances. To try, by law, a Senator of the United States. There is no easy way to do this and I do not envy the task in front of you. When I first heard about this case, I was stunned at the accusations. But, the evidence convinced me, just as it will convince you. We will clearly show a man who has misused our judicial system for virtually his entire career. A man who ordered the murder of a dozen people in a twenty year span. Starting with a lawyer, like myself. One who believed in justice. One who uncovered a conspiracy that ended her life. William Bracken blackmailed Police into doing his dirty work. He took bribes that financed his political career from not only corrupt police, and some of the most lucrative drug organizations in New York City, but from a drug cartel in South America. One who has been proven to have left a trail of bodies from the Senator's home city and state of New York, all the way here to Washington." She sighed and cupped her hands, "This is as bad as it gets and now I have a duty to show you just how bad this man is. You have the duty to protect our homes, our communities, and our country from a man who willfully broke his oath of office, and instead of representing the interests of his constituents, he sold out to the worst sort of people, a cocaine cartel in Columbia. " She put her hands into a praying position, "For our children and our very way of life, the United States is going to ask you to render a verdict of 'Guilty as Charged' on all counts. That is the unfortunate business we have at hand and I am truly sorry to have to ask you to bear this burden. I thank you for your service as does the United States Government."

She nodded to them and returned to her seat.

Mr. Ball stood up and sighed, "Sadly enough, Opposing counsel is correct in one respect. It is an unfortunate reason that you are here today. But, it's not that my client is a bad guy. My client, as a Senator, put forth several motions to dissuade South American cartels from doing their business in the United States. As a Senator, he helped increase patrols in the gulf and cut down on drug trafficking, not something one does when being paid by them. The truth is far more heinous, the trial here was put forth to prevent my client from running for Presidential Election. Someone is utilizing the justice system to ruin the political career of a man whose sole purpose is to do what he was elected to do. The evidence that Ms. Griffin intends to show you is speculation, hearsay, and in some cases, outright fabricated for this purpose." He stopped and took a deep breath, "Well they won that one." Ball held a hand up to Bracken, ""His career is over and the things that he would have done to keep America safe, gone. And now, to add insult to injury, they continue with this farce of a trial, with bad evidence and witnesses who have no credibility. As bad as this is, Senator Bracken still sits here to do the right thing and answer these erroneous allegations! Like a patriot would.

"And when it's over, and the show and tell of their house of cards collapses, I will ask you to return the verdict of not guilty and ask that the charges be vacated from his record so that a good man will not have to suffer the indignity of these falsehoods for the rest of his life. Thank you."

* * *

After utilizing the restroom again, the team escorted Abbie out of the courthouse and the Suburban sat awaiting their arrival again on the steps of the trilon. Though the media was pushing heavily, several people were shouting and pushing. The team kept their vigil and had almost made it to the truck when several of the crowd broke through the police and rushed them. The guards pulled Tasers and started zapping anyone who got nearby, but someone slipped passed them and shoved a knife at Abbie''s gut.

She caught the hand and drilled her knee into the man's side before jerking his arm and blasting him across the jaw. She then drilled her elbow into his shoulder and wrenched the knife from his hands before piling her knee into his diaphragm. Booth, momentarily distracted, reacted as soon as he saw the knife.

"To the truck, Go!" He shouted as he took the man, cuffed him and shoved him towards the nearest cop.

The rear guards shoved one of their own towards the truck with Abbie right in the middle of them, Booth bringing up the rear with a hand on Abbie's shoulder. One guard jumped into the back seat as quickly as she could. She was followed by the attorney, then the other female guard. They were all piled into the third bench as the other two guards jumped in, followed by Booth.""

"All in, hit it." Colin shouted.

Hill shoved the truck in drive and floored it away from the mob scene.

Booth looked back at the first guard, who'd been shoved into the SUV, with concern on his face, "Are you alright?"

Abbie jerked Jane's helmet off her head and pulled the ski mask from her face. "Jesus Christ!" She snapped as she unclipped the battle rifle from her chest and handed it to Jane.

Jane took the rifle and looked her double over, "She's okay, but I'm going to need a tailor."

Shrugging out of the damaged body armor to reveal Abbie's court suit, Jane examined the tear in the flak jacket from the knife, "If it had been Abbie in this suit, we'd be on our way to Bethesda right now."

He nodded and looked straight at Jane. "Next time, stall him, don't take him on. The longer we can get away with this the better for Abbie."

"Relax, Colin." Kate sighed as she ruffled her brown hair and looked over the attorney to her partner, "No one had any idea that it was Jane going in or coming out."

"Switching places with Abbie was a great idea, partner." Jane said as she slapped her sister in the back, "I hope no one got a good look at 'Abbie's' defense moves so we can keep putting the attempts on me instead of her."

Colin nodded, "Julia, take us up to Germantown on the 270, there we can take Maryland 27 across to 70."

She looked in the rearview mirror and nodded, "Copy that."

 **The Raven Compound.**

 **Arboletes, Colombia**

Ravenna Byrne stood on the balcony of her Arboletes home overlooking her garden of white roses. With the summer coming to a close the overbearing heat was beginning to subside. Still with the humidity her body glistened from sweat. As did the naked form of the young Brazilian woman in her bed. She'd proven to be very talented despite no experience and Ravenna had taken great joy in deflowering the twenty year old. It was a unique pain that the girl had experienced and Ravenna refrained from killing her. Though she got off on pain, the young girl had touched her enthusiastically, not out of fear but out of desire.

Though Ravenna preferred not to kill in her home, she still had no issue snapping the back of the nineteen year old boy whom she had taken to bed a week earlier. He'd been aggressive, and mean and rough, all things she liked in a man. But, he had shot her in the face with his seed and died painfully as a result. At least she''d orgasmed from the scream he'd made when she crushed his family jewels in her hand.

She pulled her robe tighter and looked onto her bed, she admired Anastasia for her youthful beauty, talented hands, and skilled mouth. Yes, she would keep Anastasia alive and make sure no one in the compound touched her. She was Ravenna's property now, taken from her father who caught her "sinning upon herself constantly."

Ravenna decided that she would reward her father for bringing up such a wonderful toy.

A gentle knock sounded from her bedroom door and Ravenna pulled off her robe to cover the girl before answering it.

Romeo stood outside with a frown on his face, "There's been an update."

She nodded, "Come in."

He followed her into the room and locked the door behind him. Ravenna went to her armoire and began to dress as Romeo waited.

"Tell me." She said as she slid on a pair of pants.

"Despite his best efforts, our good senator has made it to trial." He said as he turned to look out the balcony doors. "Since they took his passport, he's crying about needing to get out of the US."

Ravenna snorted as she pulled on a sexy lace bra that barely contained her breasts. "He is a baby and not worth our time."

"He does know a few things about our operations."

"He thinks he knows something." She said as she put on a low cut flowing top. "I've already begun moving our operations out of New York after Simmons fumbled it so badly and if that idiot weren't already dead, I'd take great pleasure in watching his dismemberment. Make it clear to the Senator that if he even thinks about passing along any information, his family will suffer greatly before they die. Tell Bracken that if he wants to retire here in Colombia, he'd better keep his mouth shut and suffer the trial until I do pull him out."

Romeo groaned. "I do not understand why you put up with him."

"Does this make my tits look good?" She asked him while holding her arms wide.

He looked over his shoulder at her chest, "Yes, very appealing. Your new toy will be thinking dirty thoughts all day." He smirked that permanent smirk and returned to the balcony.

Having been partners as far back as either could remember. Neither one of them looked at the other with anything other than professionalism. They were warriors, trained long ago to be completely ruthless and carry no morality by life itself.

She looked on to her best friend and sighed, "I tolerate him only awaiting the call from the Cabal. Once that connection is established, Bracken is of no further use. Set him up in a villa or a grave, it matters not to me. Either way, once it's done, he is out of my hair entirely."

He nodded, "I'll make sure the device is properly serviced."

Ravenna watched him go, but called out to him as he opened the door.

"Romeo. Set up a villa as well." she said, "He may yet be of some small use."

He turned to look at her, that wolfish half grin on his face. "You have something in mind."

"Yes," she said as she sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked the young girl's buttocks. "I do."

He inclined his head respectfully and left her to her toy.


	18. Chapter 18

**_You know what i really miss? My Muse. she's been gone for a while so ive been building this series with thought as opposed to inspiration. i hope she comes back soon. sorry mindless thoughts. Adding some intrigue here and some funny to help break up the tone of this story. I was moving stuff froom Google Docs to Scrivener and found unfinished scenes from Friend in Me as well as Disclosure so i'm hoping i can make some sense of them. Again i remind people who are interested in this series to "Follow Author" since i'm not always postin on the same story. Finishing some touches on an unrelated fic that i hope to post in it's completion in April. Meanwhile here we are._**

* * *

 **Building 283**

 **Ft. Justice.**

 **Springfield, IL**

Olivia groaned as she pulled her kettlebell up to her shoulder. Her forearm and bicep ached at the last curl. She lowered it to her side slowly before dropping it in the grass at her feet.

Her workout complete, she picked up the water bottle and drained it into her throat before wiping the sweat off of her face with the kitchen towel she'd brought out with her.

She felt good considering all that she'd gone through. Far more at peace with herself than she'd been in a long time, she thought about her imminent future. Half of her adopted family was coming here and it would be a test of her mind and her will. She felt ready to gauge herself in her recovery though she knew that she had a long way to go. Raising her arm she touched the tattoo on her forearm that represented her sisters. It was a reminded her that she wasn't alone. She had sisters who loved her unconditionally. Who would drop everything to come to her if she called them. They would do anything for her and she would do anything for them.

Her eyes turned to her other forearm. The tattoo there was also a constant reminder. One of pain and caution. Uttered by a woman who had killed herself right in front of her after becoming a murderer.

Liv still remembered Cooper's face, still heard the last words she'd ever spoken. Words that were now inked on Liv's arm. Love on one side anguish on the other, Liv tried to find the balance she needed before she could do what she wanted with all of her heart.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a flash of blue that turned the corner past the tree line.

She looked up to see a GMC Savanna van driving towards where she was standing outside of Colin's hangar. Dropping the towel on the freestanding spigot, she reached over to her bike and slipped on the blue tank top over her sports bra. With so many boys coming, and she included Rick on that list, She'd opted for modesty.

Picking the towel back up, she rinsed it under the water and wiped down her face and arms. She needed a shower but it would have to wait. Regularity had been a big part of her life recently and she didn't want to disrupt that as much as she could manage.

The van pulled up and onto the grass not far from her bike before shutting off. The side door burst open and two boys jumped out, followed by a teenager and Castle.

The writer smiled and looked at the cop. "Hi Liv. Where's the bathroom?"

Two of the boys were standing legs clenched together.

She smiled and shoved a thumb over her shoulder at the large partly opened hangar door. "Any room downstairs has them."

Jeremy lead the boys through the door in a hurry.

Alexis climbed out followed by Maura and Angela. Maura immediately rushed to the former Lieutenant.

"Olivia." She said as she reached out to embrace her.

"I'm sweaty." She cautioned.

Maura didn't even slow down as she wrapped her arms around the tall brunette. "How are you doing?"

Liv patted the shorter woman. "I'm getting better. How is married life?"

Maura reached up and kissed her cheek. "That's from Jane." She kissed her other cheek. "That's from Kate and I couldn't be happier about being married."

Liv smiled. "Great to hear it."

Angela came up to them. "Oh. Livy. You look just amazing." The short Italian said before trying to squeeze the life out of her. Olivia sucked in a powerful breath as Angela tried to hug the life out of her. She was the only one who could actually do that.

"Um thank you." Liv said when the shorter woman finally let her go, "You do know that I was at the wedding, right?"

Angela pinched Liv's triceps, "But you weren't so big then." She gripped her solid feminine biceps.

Liv chuckled. "I just finished a workout so I'm swollen. I'm really no bigger than I was in Boston."

Angela looked up at her, "My big strong girl. I wish you'd come home soon."

"Angela," Liv started.

"Don't Angela me." She said quickly. "I know what Janie and Katie said but your family can help."

Liv put a hand on Angela's shoulder. "My family is helping. Just knowing that I have you, Maura, Jane, and Kate is a big help."

Angela looked down at the tattooed words on her forearm.

"'Sisters are God's way of proving that He doesn't want us to walk alone'." Angela read aloud.

"Its a constant reminder that Jane and Kate are there for me no matter what."

Angela nodded. "I'm here for you too."

Liv smiled fondly, "like a good Ma should be."

Angela hugged her again, albeit more gently.

The sound of a four wheeler in the distance caught their attention, Kieran dropped the luggage and reached for his pistol.

"Its okay," Liv shouted to him, "Its just my other guest."

The Banshee came around the corner near the trees sideways and shot two rooster tails from the tires.

Liv glared down the drive and then turned a sympathetic look to Angela. "I don't envy you having to raise Jane."

Angela watched as the Banshee screamed towards them at breakneck speed. Jeremy came out of the old aircraft hangar as the Quad screeched to a halt, sending a dust cloud into the air that floated over Liv's Trike.

"Damn it Dani!" she shouted, "I just washed that bike!"

The rider turned off the gas with a gloved hand and stepped off the quad before yanking the helmet off, sending a wave of golden blonde hair cascading around her, "You wash it everyday. I thought it might be nice to actually have a reason."

Liv closed her eyes for a calming effect when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Angela glared herd and shoved her fists over her hips. "Young lady, I don't know who you are but there are other children here now. You slow down when you come up that driveway from now on."

The blond blinked at her and turned her head to see Jeremy being joined by his brothers. "Oh man, it's going to get crowded."

Maura blinked as the girl strapped on her helmet, turned on the gas and kicked the starter over. The engine caught and she revved it up before pulling away again. This time at a slower pace, at least until she got around the trees, then she fired it up all the way, screaming into the afternoon with a dust trail keeping pace behind her.

Kieran frowned at Liv, "Nice kid. Great attitude." He picked up the bags and carried them inside. Liv shook her head and lead Angela into the hangar.

"So this is where you live?" Angela asked her in surprise.

"This is where Jane comes every year." Maura supplied as she looked around at the open spacing.

"This is our little club house." Liv said as he pointed up to the rafters where several t shirts hung including a Yankees jerset, A Mets tshirt and a Celtics sweater. One was a Boston Police Athletics Department shirt that Maura recognized as the one Jane lost several years ago. "A home away from home so to speak."

"This place means a lot to her." Maura said to Angela.

"It means a lot to all of us." Liv corrected and pointed to a door that was close to the massive hangar door. "I hope you don't mind but I set you and Angela up in Jane's old room."

Maura looked at Liv, "I thought she and Kate shared a room when they were here."

"They do now." Liv said. "But when she was voted in, she stayed in three. Frankie was voted in last year so he's been moved into three now that Jane moved into four with Kate. I used to stay in two but I've been staying in the loft with Colin."

Angela smiled at her as she spoke.

"Oh Livy, it's so good to see you dating again."

Maura inched her brows together. "Ma, they're not dating."

Angela frowned, "I mean, you…"

"Don't," Liv said, "Colin is there for me at night. I sleep better knowing that I'm not alone."

Angela frowned at this. "I don't understand."

"Kate held Jane every night for months when she ran to New York." Maura elaborated, "It was a way to keep Jane from having panic attacks when she woke up from a nightmare which happened several times a night at first. Eventually she got better and Kate didn't need to hold her anymore."

"My job was a hard one, Ma." Liv said as she opened the door to number three. "And there are still parts of it that haunt me. My sisters saved me but I'm still dealing with the memories."

Maura put a hand on Liv's shoulder. "If you need me, I can be there for you."

That one sentiment made Liv smile widely. It wasn't all that long ago that Maura was irrationally jealous over her kissing Jane when they first met. Years later and after a long talk with Maura about her onetime love of Abbie, Liv felt real affection there. Maura was always genuinely nice but now she almost felt like she was family to the very lovely doctor. There was no hint of jealousy or bitterness to her words.

Smiling Liv put her hand on Maura's and kissed her head, "I'm better than I was, Maura but it means the world to me that you;d offer."

"You're my sister-in-law." Maura said with a warm welcoming smile, "That makes us family too."

The Doctor hugged her gently and Liv realized that Maura truly meant every word. When Jane and Kate had embraced her as their sister, Liv's life stopped spiraling out of control and started to level off. Olivia had abandoned her escape from her life. Now that Maura was embracing her as a sister would, Liv felt her world straighten just a little bit more and as she looked down at the tattoo that reminded her that she wasn't alone, she knew that Maura's face would join with Kate and Jane's in her mind whenever she looked down at the black words. She loved her family and there was nothing Olivia would not do for her family.

 **Capitol** **Hill,**

 **Washington D.C.**

John Griffin paced the living room of the small but cozy condo off of A Street. It had been weeks since he'd seen his boys and the father in him was clawing the walls. The Agent in him demanded intel. He wanted to know exactly where his boys were so he could go get them.

Decorated in a modern couture, the Condo was well laid out with a fireplace along the east wall of the living room, a very small kitchen and dining room. All tastefully decorated in modern but comfortable furniture and appliances. There were no pictures since that was how the occupant wanted it, with no tells of past or state of mind present. The most revealing items were hidden in the two bedrooms.

THe spare bedroom had been used as a workout room, with an elliptical machine, a treadmill, and some free weights. Three of the walls were covered with plain sheets of mirror. Presumably so the occupant could watch form and posture, though John knew the real reason. It was the same as why there was a mirrored ceiling in the bedroom and a few full length stand alone mirrors in the bedroom. Most people would thing her vein, which was true to a certain extent, but the truth was she liked watching herself have sex. Alone or with another, it didn't matter, she wanted to see it. Before they had children, Abbie would wear a cowboy hat and boots for him so who was he to question a little watch-myself-get-laid kink.

His phone rang. Seeing Acevedo's number he answered it quickly, "Jake, you got anything?"

"Nothing, it's like she sent them to the moon or something."

"They're not on the moon, their here somewhere."

"Look I'm doing what I can but this isn't easy." His partner said, "Even with everyone watching your wife's trial there are still some people looking into this. What I can tell you is that she never left D.C. outside of that business we talked about earlier. Then she'd just gone. Worse part is that I thought I had her in Boston but that turned out to be wrong."

"What do you mean Boston?" John stopped pacing.

"She can't be in two places at once and there's a chick in Boston who friggin looks just like her." Jake said, "A Boston Police Detective named Jane Rizzoli. Been with Boston ten years except for a two year stint she did at the NYPD."

John thought long and hard about what Jake was saying, "Wait a minute. You said that the first time she jumped on the New England Connector from Penn Station right?"

"Thats ri…" his voice trailed off.

"And Boston is on the New England Connector's stops." John growled. "Bracken is the New York Senator and he's from New York City. Start digging on this Jane Rizzoli, I want a work up on her before I get to the office tomorrow. Get the boys together and set it up like we have a lead in that Raven thing."

"You got it bro." He hesitated, "We'll get your kids back, man."

John ended the call and smiled, he was on the right path. He could feel it.

The lock on the front door tumbled open and in walked his DOJ contact. She smiled at the sight of him and set her briefcase down right before she relocked her door and loosened her suit blazer. Letting it fall to the floor.

"I could get used to this." She said as she set her glasses down on the sideboard and pulled the hair pin holding the tight bun together. Rich dark blond hair cascaded down her shoulders as she stared at him with deep blue eyes.

He smiled crookedly as he faced her. "Get used to what."

Her look was heated and wanton as she unbuttoned her low cut shirt, revealing the bare skin between her breasts. "Coming home to you every night."

He watched as she unzipped the back of her skirt and allowed it to pool on the floor a second before her shirt joined it. Completely naked except for the four inch heels she stalked towards him like a predator. He smiled at her, thinking of how she had not worn a bra or panties when she'd left this morning. The thought of her at work completely commando had him hard instantly. If she kept this up, he'd find a reason to go to her office just to nail her on her desk.

She slipped her hands beneath his t-shirt and ran them over his lean muscles right before she started kissing him fiercely.

"I was thinking about this all day, John." She said as she started unbuttoning his jeans, "I was so hot thinking about you inside me all morning that I just want to spend all night with you inside me again."

He grabbed her by the behind and lifted her off her feet. Cradling her hips to his. "Then I think we're going to need a delivery menu." he said as he carried her to the bedroom."

"Later," Kim Greylek breathed as she rocked her bare hips against his jeans, "Right now I want to watch you fill me another way."

* * *

 _…The Trial of Former New York Senator Bracken has commenced today at the US District Court here in Washington just one weak after the murder of US Attorney Charles Bellamy. USA Bellamy was giving a press conference about the Bracken trial on the steps of the Judicial Center when shots were fired at the podium. USA Bellamy died a few hours later at Bethesda Medical Center. Succeeding him in the trial is Assistant US Attorney, Abigail Griffin whom D.C. insiders have said was to replace him should he have been nominated to US Attorney General in next years elections of which Senator Bracken had been campaigning. Tensions were high outside of the Prettyman Building as AUSA Griffin arrived with a fully armed escort seen here. Identities are un known but sources inside the courthouse have claimed that after the assassination of USA Bellamy, Griffin's security contingent was allowed to remain in the court room while in session._

 _Former spokeswoman for Bracken's presidential campaign, Nancy Fulton has called this "Jackboot Intimidation" and has stated that the trial is "Nothing less than assault on a man who many feared would change the status quo on the Hill."_

 _"Senator Bracken was going to change everything, not just the way the American people lived but also the way the rest of the world viewed Americans. His war on drugs was only the beginning and we were safer with him than we will be without him." - Fulton._

 _Ashley Mitchell, a spokes person for Griffin released a press statement citing that "AUSA Griffin would not pursue a case for political ambition or because of political pressure. She tries cases based upon fact and evidence as Mr. Bellamy always has and she carries a sense of justice that has been tempered by twenty years of experience prosecuting every crime from jaywalking to treason."_

 _When asked about how she took the death of her boss?_

 _"I know Miss Griffin is hurting as are we all. But I also know that the death of her friend and mentor will only strengthen her resolve and steer her to that task at hand. Senator Bracken is to be tried by law on a laundry list of charges, and we owe it to the victims of his crimes to see it through. Guilty or acquitted, Miss Griffin will see it through, you can take that to the bank and cash it."_

Abbie blew out a breath filled with pride as she listened to the news broadcast. She leaned back against the block wall of their bunk room and looked over at her double, "I swear to god, I'm gonna be gay for a day when I kiss that girl for this."

Jane chuckled as she reached over to turn the portable TV off. "Gay for a day huh?"

She just barely touched the power button when Abbie lurched forward, "Stop!"

Pausing Jane looked down at the screen to see an image of Alex Cabot in the corner of the screen while a talking head spoke.

 _"In related news, Assistant US Attorney Alexandra Cabot, who had recently been hired by the late United States Attorney for the DC District Charles Bellamy, was outed as a lesbian in court. The Massachusetts born daughter of wealthy socialites William and Regina Cabot had ignored rumors that she was involved with women over the years but that came to an end as Cabot cross examined defendant Jessica Augustine who outed Cabot on the stand, citing that her mother had slept with Cabot more than a year ago in a Georgetown brownstone and that Cabot had asked for Augustine's silence in exchange for a lighter sentence. Cabot denied the accusation to Judge Hartman, but a picture of the defendant's mother was produced, Cabot recused herself from the trial of Miss Augustine stating that she was "unaware of the kinship between the defendant and a woman she'd met only a few times." but continued to deny allegations of impropriety. When asked by Hartman if she had engaged in sexual relations with the defendant's mother, Miss Cabot replied, "Though this is hardly the forum to come out in, I will not purger myself for modesty's sake. I have had sex with the woman in this picture once. I did not give her more than my first name and did not ask for more from her. It was a one time tryst that had no consequence until today."_

 _The new US Attorney General Thomas Connelly has since relieved Miss Cabot from the US Attorney's office pending investigation into the allegations as D.C. V. Augustine was declared a mistrial and rescheduled for prosecution."_

"Oh, Alex." Abbie gasped as Jane turned off the TV.

"I take it you know her." Jane's voice was cold and Abbie looked up at her.

"I got her the job at the USAO." Abbie said, "I know you don't like her so I didn't say anything."

Jane plopped down on her cot and rested her elbows on her knees. "I don't like what she did to my sister, what she put her through. I understand it, but I don't like it."

"Your sister?" Abbie asked with a confused look.

Jane sat up and peeled her tshirt off, leaving her wife beater in place, and turned around to show the attorney the tattoo on her shoulder.

Lady Justice was holding her scale above the silhouettes of two policewomen with their guns drawn. The words **Daughters of Justice, "Standing on the Thin Blue Line."** encircling the image. A vintage style ribbon was drawn in blue beneath the design. With three sections between the folds. The name Rizzoli was etched in the center span with the name Olivia on the left section and Katherine on the right.

"When my Ma found out about Johanna, it broke her heart." Jane said as she started to tug her shirt on. "She started going out of her way to mother Kate and make her feel like she was a part of the family. Not hard really considering that Kate and I were closer than sisters anyway. She started calling her Katie and made sure Kate knew that she had a mother figure should she ever need it while making sure Kate knew that she would never try to take Johanna's place. She adopted Kate in a way and next thing you knew, Kate was just one of us. Maura and Jordan have there own stories but our Livy came to us last Christmas. I've been friends with her since the day I met her and Kate. Ma heard about Serena a few years ago but she never met Livy until Christmas last year. Though Kate and I were the one's who did the adopting this time, Ma agreed that it was the right thing to do and then like my other sisters, Livy just became one of us. A Rizzoli through a mother's love."

Kate came in with three cups of coffee and handed one to Jane then Abbie, "It wasn't always easy, let me tell you."

She said as she sat next to Jane and put an arm over her, "Losing my mother was the single hardest thing I ever dealt with. For years I worried that my dad would try to replace her, so when Angela started treating me like I was one of hers, it bothered me at first. But I took a lot of comfort in her and then I started to resent myself for allowing Angela Rizzoli to fill that void. Mainly because I love her like I did my mom. It was something that I struggled with and eventually put to rest. Angela will never replace Johanna Becket and she'll never try, but she is my Ma and I love her for it."

It was a touching story, one that made Abbie smile, "And Liv feels like this, too?"

"More that we do." Kate replied and let go of Jane, She pulled up her shirt and Jane helped her to show the tattoo. The same two female cop silhouettes beneath Lady Justice and the same circle. But where Jane's ribbon was beneath the design, Kate's looked as if it was laid behind the tattoo, the names Janie on one side and Livy on the other. There was one more ribbon tail that fell from the bottom and had the name Alexis etched in a delicate script.

"Alexis?" Abbie asked.

Jane smiled, "The redhead at my house. She's going to be Kate's stepdaughter soon."

"Meredeth can say whatever she wants to." Kate grumbled as she slid her shirt back in place, "She looks like her mom but theres a lot of me in there."

"Yeah, the not crazy, 'lets ditch school and go shopping in Paris' parts." Jane grumbled.

Kate chuckled, "That happened once."

"Try six according to your fiance." Jane griped, "That woman is a hairs breath from being a nut."

Abbie smiled and then her eyes fell on the blank portable TV. Thinking about her friend, Abbie looked up at the two partners, "Is there a way I can make a phone call?"

Jane blinked at her, "Colin is the one you should ask but that's a huge risk, Abbie."

"Why what's up." Kate asked.

"Alex Cabot was outed in court and it made the news." Jane replied.

Kate frowned, "That doesn't make any sense. How much of a story was it?"

"Just a fifteen second snippet." Abbie said, "But she's got to be devastated."

"You don't sound surprised," Kate said, "Alex has been in the closet her whole life. How did you know she was gay."

Abbie sighed, it wouldn't do any good to hide it anymore, particularly since both women knew all about Alex and Olivia. "I walked in on them at a Christmas Party in 2000."

"There's a story if I ever heard one, "Jane grinned.

It was a story for sure. Undoubtedly Jane would like to hear about Alex sitting on the bathroom counter, Her Versace dress pushed up to her stomach as Olivia's face buried between her legs. The orgasmic face of Alex as she clawed the wall next to the sink, her other hand gripping Liv's short hair as she pleased her lover.

Abbie shook her head at them, "It's not mine to tell."

"Spoiler," Jane chuckled.

"Are you gong to tell me about you and Maura's sex life?" Abbie challenged.

Jane smirked, "Best I've ever had, bar none."

Kate seeing the bravado couldn't help herself, "Right side of the bed, second drawer down."

Jane's head snapped around, and her cheeks flushed, "No friggin way!"

"Fraid so." Kate grinned, "Let Abbie respect her friend's privacy."

"I love the fact that you and my wife are friends but does she have to tell you everything?!"

"Better me than Jordan." Kate laughed, "She can't keep a secret from Woody if she tried. I on thee other hand am the soul of discretion in the family."

Jane snickered. "Right, remember Pi?"

"No." She said and sipped at her, "That was different and need I remind you that Alexis still doesn't know about that."

"Right, everyone in the family knows but her." Jane chuckled.

"Better not, that was a New York thing."

"Oh, I need to hear this," Abbie said. "C'mon Kate, spill."

Kate sat the mug down. "Okay, I'll tell you, but I swear that if Alexis ever hears about this, I will tell her that it's Jane pretending to be you and trying to screw with her right before I send Jane out pretending to be you to screw with you."

Abbie nodded. "Okay, this is going to be good."

Kate passed a look to Jane. "Last summer, Alexis goes down to Costa Rica on a summer study group, but she comes back with this guy that she's convinced she's in love with."

"Oh, I hated that kid." Jane started chuckling as Jane picked up her battle rifle and an oil cloth.

"So what happened?" Abbie sat up and asked enthusiastically.

Kate sighed. "His name was Pi."

"Pie? As in apple?"

"No Pi as in 3141 whatever." Kate said. "You'd think he would be a genius with that name, but he was this young, hairy, bum of a kid. He had a nice build, but strictly vegetarian and very intrusive."

Jane rolled her eyes and snorted as she continued to oil her H&K. "My partner has always had this, 'let Alexis make her own choices' kinda attitude towards my niece. Even when he first showed up."

Kate glared at her, "Do you want to tel her the story? Because I'll be happy to tell her about Ian and the motel?"

Jane waved her hand. "No. I'm good, it's your story."

Abbie made a note to herself to ask about Ian later.

"Hey," Jane warned her copy. "Don't even think about it. Ian is a guy and he was not in the motel room."

"She got into a fist fight after she figured out she was gay, boring stuff really." Kate waved a hand. "So he's been on the couch for four weeks. Finally, Castle's had enough. Jane is threatening to taze him in the jewels and I'm tired of him taking my razors out of our bathroom. Castle tells Alexis that Pi's got to go so Alexis decides that she wants to get her own place and Pi can live with her."

"So he can free load off of her there instead of at the loft." Jane grumbles.

"Castle takes Jane and I out to dinner and tells me that we have to get rid of Pi and fix it with Alexis." Kate pointed at her partner, "And for the first time since I've known her, Jane left me hanging and agreed with Castle that it's my fault."

"Why is it your fault?" Abbie asks.

"Because she was the one who told Castle to leave it alone," Jane supplied casually, "That anything he does is going to further push her towards this guy." Jane said and turned back to her rifle. "Besides, putting the guilt on you was the quickest way to get him out."

Rolling her eyes, Kate continued. "So Jane says that she'll back whatever play I make. So two days later, I come up with a plan and all my partner has to do is get him to the roof."

Completely fascinated Abbie was on the edge of her cot.

Kate leveled a glare at said partner, "I didn't expect my partner to taze him and drag him out by his foot, half naked."

"Hey, I was ready to slap him around on the third day." Jane snorted in amusement, "You said get him there, not how you wanted it done."

Abbie started laughing.

"Oh it gets better." Kate said as Jane started chuckling. "Jane tied him up by the ankles and Crocodile Dundee's him over the side of the building."

Jane's laugher became more prominent.

"Full on, hanging in mid air from a pulley, straight down sixteen stories to West Park Drive."

"No way." Abbie said in disbelief. "Seriously?"

Jane shrugged, "I love my niece." And started shaking with laughter again.

"Anyway. She texted me that she's ready so I slip out of bed and go up. She's got her stun baton in one hand and smelling salts in the other. As soon as she sees me, see being a relative term for Jane, immediately shoves the salts into his nose. He wakes up and starts screaming."

Jane had to put her rifle down, she was laughing so hard.

"She swings him like a pendulum and slaps him in the face, yelling at him to pay attention. I walk up and despite my partners awkward approach to a rooftop meeting, I hold it together enough to kneel next to him. He says. 'Future Mrs C, what's going on?' I tell him, 'Jane is extremely protective of Alexis and I want you to understand the gravity of your situation. My partner wants to stun you and shove you in a plane bound for another country. My fiance wants you out of his daughter's life and I just plain want you out. The problem is that none of these things are mutually exclusive so I just thought you should know that if you haven't left by Friday, it's going to be a really bad day for you on Saturday when you wake up in Pakistan.' I stand up and start to walk away, but I stopped, and turned back to him and say, 'By the way. Everyone in this house investigates murders, we know how the good ones get caught and we know how the best killers get away. Tell Alexis that we've had this conversation and you should know that your body might be found one day, but it will never be identifiable.' And I went back to bed like nothing ever happened."

"Oh my god," Abbie blanched, "you are evil."

"No. I'm just a step mom to a beautiful but naive girl." Kate pointed her finger at her laughng partner, "She's the evil twin and now I have you to prove it."

"Yeah, but I can't pull of badass in a slip. She can." Jane smiled smugly at her partner, "Tell her what happened after you went to bed."

"You mean the part where you used the Baton to burn through two cords of the rope or where after he wet himself you re-stunned him and put him back on the couch?"

Abbie's eyes widened as Jane snickered, "No, the next morning."

Kate looked at Abbie. "Okay. The next morning I get up and Pi is thinking that it was all a bad dream. I held up the baton that Jane put on the charger after tucking jungle boy back into bed and put a finger to my lips." She shushed at Abbie. "He started shaking so badly I thought he was going to wet the floor. Jane comes down from the upstairs and grins coldly at him with no emotion at all, like only she can do and shushes him too. Castle saw us and as Pi goes to talk to him, Rick holds up his hand, looks Pi in the eye and says, 'I don't want to know.'"

Abbie starts laughing hysterically. "Oh my god. So what happened?"

"Well." Kate shrugged, "I came home from work to Alexis crying about how Pi left her and I introduced her to curing a broken heart with double fudge Chunky Monkey. Considering how Jane was a train wreck over Maura, I thought that it would be best if she and Rick went out for beers with our partners at work. Oh and by the way thank you for leaving that mess for me to explain." Kate glared at her partner.

Jane's face went into full innocence. "What did I do?"

"Came to live with me and bringing your destroyed heart with you." She looked at Abbie and tipped her head to Jane. "I had to explain why her heart break was different from Alexis's."

"Hey!" Jane barked. "Unless you want me to tell her about some of the things you don't want revealed, I suggest you let that one go."

"She's so surly." Kate whispered. "Maybe I should tell her about how you got your ass kicked by a ninja."

Jane straightened indignantly, "I didn't get my ass kicked I got my gun knocked from my hand by a throwing star and 'the ninja'" she made the quote marks with her hands, "was gone before I got my baton out, with the dagger that was in Rick's hand, and need I remind you that I kicked both her ass and the bad guy's at the same time when we figured out who the killer really was."

Abbie frowned, "Ninja?"

Jane waved her hand. "Long story."

Kate snorted. "And while I was out with my old high school friend, why didn't you go with Ryan, Espo, and Castle to the Geisha joint? I'd have thought you'd be all over that."

Jane scowled. "Because the Japanese aren't too keen on lesbians. If I'd been there, they wouldn't have even gotten through the door."

Abbie's eyes widened as Jane started to explain the ninja.


	19. Chapter 19

**Okay, for some of this stuff, try to bear in mind that my knowledge is only partly accurate and some of this is just plain old Hollywood magic. So all of you gunzles out there, try to see the imagery as opposed to the technicals. ALso, i do not have a legal background so the law stuff is mostly my thoughts bounced off a person i know who works in the industry but isn't a lawyer. otherwise. sit back and enjoy. As always, i love hearing from you so leave your thoughts. We're going to move this along pretty fast from here.**

 **Happy Easter, heres some old fashioned action.**

 **saya4haji: Man i love reading your comments. Thank you.**

* * *

 **US District Court of Washington DC.**

Booth sat almost leisurely in the witness box as Abbie pulled several files open on the desk, "Could you state your name and occupation for the record?"

He nodded, "Special Agent Seeley Booth. I'm a special investigator for the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

She looked up at him, "And what types of cases do you investigate?"

"Typically, I'm a field agent who investigates suspicious deaths and homicides that are difficult to solve because the bodies discovered are hard to identify. In most cases, my team only has the bones of the victim to work with."

"Your team?" she asked, "Could you elaborate on that?"

He nodded, "I work directly with the Jeffersonian Medico Legal department to identify the bodies and solve the mysteries of their deaths, we also have an 94% conviction rate."

Abbie stepped up to him, "But, these are not the only cases you work."

"Objection. Leading." Ball said without even bothering to get up.

Abbie nodded, "I'll rephrase. Are these the only cases you've worked on this detail?"

"No." he said, "My team and I investigate any type of special investigation as per the needs of the Justice Department. But in 99% percent of our cases, they have little to no evidence to start with."

She nodded, to him, "But this case, you brought it to the US Attorney's office, is that correct?"

He nodded, "Yes it is."

"Then how exactly did you get started on this?" She asked.

Booth cleared his throat, "It was a cold case handed to me by Detectives from the New York City Police Department's Manhattan South Homicide, Sergeant Katherine Beckett and Detective Jane Rizzoli."

"That's kind of odd." Abbie said, "Why would the NYPD just kick over a cold case to a special Investigator of the FBI?"

"Because the first traceable murder was the death of Johanna Beckett. Sergeant Beckett's mother. When they started to make headway, several attempts on their lives were made. Both detectives felt that they were too close to the case and had lost their objectivity. Since no one else had made any headway in almost 20 years. They felt that my department would have better success."

"And did you?" She asked.

He nodded, "I reviewed their evidence and traced their findings as well as conducted an independent investigation of my own. There was enough evidence to confirm their findings. From there I, along with a select group of agents and forensic personnel from the FBI, were able to make a substantial case against Mr. Bracken. That was when I made contact with you to begin the prosecutorial proceedings."

"And I have never worked with you before, so tell me Agent Booth, why me?"

He smiled as he realized she was hitting all of the arguing points on the people involved.

"You came recommended from a former detective that you had worked with. Lieutenant Olivia Benson, from NYPD's Special Victims Unit in Manhattan. Since Mr. Bracken is a Senator, I felt that corruption may be an issue. I performed a full background on you and several other AUSA''s and concluded that short of USA Bellamy, you were the best person to try this case given its severe and tangible dangers. When I brought this to Mr. Bellamy, he agreed that you were the person he wanted with him on this case."

She nodded, "Such a compliment. however was there any point that I had declined to prosecute."

"Not to my knowledge." he said.

"Thank you." She said. "Oh I forgot, exactly when did you come to the conclusion that these detectives were not, in fact, handing you a biased case?"

He sighed, "Approximately three weeks after I had begun my investigation. Several key pieces of evidence were found that correlated directly to their findings.

"Thank you, Agent Booth. I have no more questions." she looked at the judge, "But I reserve the right to recall this witness at a later date."

The judge nodded, "Noted."

'Your witness, sir." Abbie said confidently.

Ball stood up and with a pen still in his hand he flicked it against is opposing thumb.

"So this case didn't come through the proper channels?"

"I wouldn't say proper channels.' Booth said. "However-"

Ball cut him off, "So if it didn't come through your usual methods of obtaining a case, what exactly made you break procedure and follow up on it without consent."

"I didn't say that I did." Booth said clearly, "Perhaps-"

"So are you saying that your superior knew about this from the get go?"

"If you would stop interrupting," Booth said firmly.

"Answer the question please." The lawyer said while eyeing the jury.

"I have authorization to-"

"A simple yes or no will suffice, thank you." He interrupted again.

"Within the scope of-"

Ball turned to the judge, "Your honor may I ask the court to direct Agent Booth to answer yes or no?"

"Scope of my authority, yes!" Booth finally finished.

"Objection, your honor." Abbie said, "Agent Booth has attempted to answer each one of the defenses question. If he could be allowed to finish, the Defense would get the answers he asked for if not the one's he wants."

"Sustained." The judge said. "Please answer Agent Booth."

"No, the case did not come through typical channels and within the scope of my authority as a special investigator, I am authorized to conduct preliminary investigations without the consent of my superiors. However, when it became clear that a crime had been committed, I informed my immediate supervisor as per regulations. He informed me that I may pursue this case in a quiet manner considering the gravity of the charges against your client."

Ball turned back to Abbie, "I see that you came in with Opposing Counsel."

"Yes." Booth said clearly.

"Why is that?" He asked.

"Because the safety of AUSA Griffin is my responsibility." He said clearly.

Ball waved at the guards, "It seems that she has quite a bit of security, wouldn't you say?"

"Objection" Abbie rose to her feet. "My security is not relevant to these proceedings."

"On the contrary," Ball said. "Agent Booth has said that your safety is his responsibility. It just seems to me that there is quite a bit of interaction between you and Agent Booth that may go directly to collusion."

The judge sat up a little higher, "Make your point quickly Mr. Ball. Overruled."

"Agent Booth, when was the first time you met with Abigail Griffin?"

"In front of her home." He said and rattled off the date.

"So, you said that you conducted background checks on several Assistant US Attorneys."

"For prosecution, that is correct." Booth said clearly.

"And yet you met with Mrs. Griffin three weeks before you decided to pursue the case."

"That is correct."

"Interesting." He said. "So just to make sure I have this correct, let me repeat it back to you. You were handed a cold case by two New York detectives who had, by your own words, lost their objectivity. You performed a preliminary investigation on your own without first notifying your supervisor that you were investigating a United States Senator. Then you were recommended to a prosecutor who had previously worked with another New York Police officer. Met her ex-parte in front of her home and then she ends up prosecuting the case. In a yes or no format would you say that my recount is accurate?"

Booth glared hard at the attorney. "Yes."

"A rather interesting chain of events that sounds very suspicious. May I ask how many times you met with Mrs. Griffin prior to your meeting of Mr. Bellamy?"

"About a dozen." Booth said.

"I see." Ball smiled lasciviously at Abbie, "Your place or hers?"

"Excuse me?" Booth sat up into a defensive position, "I don't think I understand your meaning."

Ball turned to him and arched an eyebrow, "A dozen secret meetings to which you and Mrs. Griffin were allegedly discussing this case. Did you meet in her office or yours? Her home." He grinned wider and wiggled his eyebrows out of view of the jury, "Or yours?"

Realizing Ball's accusation and remembering the collusion reference, Abbie stood up, "Objection, Council is insinuating collusion through an extramarital affair that has not taken place in an attempt to undermine the prosecution's credibility!"

"Agent Booth has stated for the record that he met with Mrs. Griffin a dozen times for secret meetings. Meetings that are not listed on her schedule nor his. Defense has the right to know how," his lip twitched, "in depth these secret meetings were."

"I can answer that to the court's satisfaction." Booth said confidently.

"Proceed, Agent Booth." Collins said.

"All of our," he made quotes with his hands, "'Secret' meetings were conducted in the Jeffersonian's Medico Legal Laboratory. Specifically, in the office of my wife, Dr. Temperance Brennan. Though we had privacy to talk, the glass walls on two sides, in full view of the rest of the lab, and my wife, would make having an affair rather difficult. And before counsel asks, aside from the one meeting in front of her home to introduce myself and my case, I've never met Mrs. Griffin outside of the Jeffersonian until she informed me that I had a case to take to Mr. Bellamy. I met her in Union Station, when she gave me the time she set for that meeting and we parted ways."

The face Ball made was almost worth it. "No further questions, your honor."

He sat down and Abbie rose up again, "Redirect your honor." Judge Collins nodded his approval.

"Agent Booth, do you recall what task you asked me to perform when you came to my home the day I met you."

He leaned forward slightly, "I asked you to consult on the case for prosecution of a US Senator. Since it was the first time I had pursued such an influential political figure, I was uncertain of the burden of proof required to try him by law."

"When and why did you request me to Prosecute?" She asked.

"Familiarity. You consulted with me on this case as a prosecutor and guided me on the burden of proof. When I showed US Attorney Bellamy my case, I requested you. He declined my request since he planned to prosecute the case himself. He foresaw the dangers and initially was resistant to having you on the case. He called me the next day and informed me that you would co-counsel."

"Was there another option he was more interested in pursuing besides myself?" She asked.

"Alexandra Cabot's name topped the list, she was recently hired into the US Attorney's Office."

Abbie frowned, but nodded, "Thank you." She sat down.

* * *

"Are you kidding me?" Abbie growled, "I got her the job! How did her name get above mine?"

Booth sighed as they drove north on US 401. "Honestly, she knows more about politics than you do and has stronger political ties. I dismissed her because Benson said that she doesn't have the ability to run this to ground because of her political agenda. I did run background checks, but to be perfectly clear, you really were my first choice from the beginning."

She snorted at him, "Nice to know. Anything else you didn't mention?"

Booth realized that no matter what he said, the woman's ego had been bruised.

Colin sat quietly listening, but like the others, he was staying very quiet. Jane and Kate were obviously doing their psychic talk that they did, Abbie had no idea that she was literally being talked over as she sat between them. It brought a small smile to Colin's face.

Booth turned around in his seat, "Yeah, Bellamy didn't want you on this one at all and to be honest, i didn't think he'd let you. He said that he needed you to take over for him when the case was over. He said that there was no one who he trusted more to succeed him."

"Well that makes me feel better." Settling the heavy armor into the seat a little deeper. "At least Charlie had a plan."

Her eyes settled on Colin's reflection in the glass. His piercing blue eyes focused outside. Truly the man was gorgeous. but when her mind wondered about how that five o'clock shadow would feel against her neck, Abbie slammed her eyes shut and squeezed the wedding band on her left hand.

 _Abbie, get a grip girl, you're married with children! John might be an asshole but he's a good father!_

 _I'd rather get a grip on him._ She slammed the breaks in her mind at the errant thought and tried to focus on anything other than him.

She watched as Jane gave Kate a look and as she did last night. She felt like there was something significant to the looks. It was almost like they were communicating.

Jane's face hardened and she spun her head around suddenly and looked out the back window.

"Contact rear!" She shouted and pulled up her rifle.

Colin looked back and immediately cursed, "Shite! Punch it!"

Hill wasted no time as she flat footed the Suburban. The speedometer made a steady climb past seventy-five and she made a quick glance into the rear view mirrors.

Two large black Ford pickups with heavy-duty steel bumpers were gaining on them, As Hill drove faster and faster, one of the pickups clipped a Taurus and sent it spinning into the cement divider. The car flipped over on contact with the wall. The other one got up behind them and rammed the Suburban in the rear. Two men lurched up from the bed and opened fire on them with full automatics.

Kate shoved Abbie down onto the floor as Jane crawled over the back seat and racked her weapon.

"Armored truck," Griggs reminded her, "Don't shoot that thing in here."

Jane watched as round after round pummeled the back of the Suburban, but all she could see was scuffs on the window and black paint chips flying of the back. She smiled evilly and flipped them off. Childish considering they couldn't see her through the tinted windows, but she hoped they felt it. The second pickup pulled alongside and four guys started shooting.

"Hill," Colin leaned forward towards the blond medic. "Apply the brakes. I wan' you to drill that truck right behind the goddamn rear tire."

"You got it, Sarge." She slammed on the breaks cut the wheel and smashed the front end of the suburban into the bed of the pickup.

The truck skittered sideways and Colin shouted, "Hit'er hard!"

Hill punched the pedal to the floor and re-hit the same spot on the Ford, causing it to roll. She veered towards the cement wall, but corrected barely in time. The Suburban skipped along the wall scraping the hardened steel against it as the truck began to cartwheel next to them. Hill held her steady though and kept the accelerator pinned to the firewall.

Five men in all bounced out of the truck and landed in heaps on the asphalt, other vehicles, and in one unfortunate bastard's luck, directly in front of the other truck. He was smeared all over the front.

Suddenly there was a man hanging out of the window of the second truck with an M4 and a 40mm launcher clipped under the barrel.

Griggs saw it immediately, "Got a 203 out there!"

Colin growled low in his throat, "Change lanes! Random patterns." He racked his gun and moved to the center of the bench. "It's going to get ugly for a minute." He said as he flipped a switch and the sunroof slid into the roofline.

Colin rose through the sunroof and sighted the driver, he sent three bursts into the windshield and the driver jerked the wheel. The grenadier lost his sight and popped the shell at the wrong angle. The shell came down in the southbound lane and exploded in front of a semi. The driver turned too fast and lost control. The truck shuddered at the new angle and laid down on its side as it screeched along the highway. Colin fired another burst at the radiator, but the rounds bounced off the heavy brush guard.

As the gunners reappeared, all four of them, he ducked back inside. The grenadier fired another round and this one took out a Cadillac that Hill was passing.

Colin cursed in gaelic. "We've got to end this now." He shouted.

"Let me up there." Jane shouted.

"No." he said, "That chest you're sitting on, give me the tube inside it."

Jane shifted to the side and popped the locks on the chest. Inside she found a three foot green tube with hexagon shaped rubbers on the end. She picked it up, surprised at how heavy it was.

Another explosion bounced the Suburban to the right, but Hill kept control of it. "Their getting accurate, Sarge." She shouted back.

Jane pushed the tube towards him with Kate's help. He grabbed it and shoved it up on his shoulder before pulling some plastic parts out of the green box on the side that looked like sights. He jerked a yellow tab from the trigger before lurching up through the sunroof; tube first. He sighted the truck and pressed the red button. Hill was startled by the puff of smoke that blocked her view for a split second, but the rocket Colin had fired flew straight back to the truck, impacting it right in the grille. The shaped charge exploded, blowing a hole two feet wide through the thick steel and launching the engine and transmission straight through the cab.

The rapid compression of the air from the explosion and the resulting displacement pulverized the people inside and sucked in every piece of glass in the big Ford while the engine was launched a hundred yards straight back with the shock wave of the charge right behind it. Its passing created a brief vacuum behind it and when the air rushed back into the space it sucked the two men in the bed straight into the shockwave and the fireball, killing both instantly and throwing their mangled corpses out of the rear of the truck in the wake of the engine. The truck's front tires came off and it ground to a screeching halt; a mangled mess, barely recognizable. A second or two later, the gas tank ignited sending a fireball thirty feet in the air.

Colin chucked the tube over the side of the Suburban and fell back inside. Griggs closed the bulletproof sunroof and nodded to Colin, "Nice shot, Sarge."

Booth had watched the entire show from the front passenger seat. "That was the cleanest AT4 I've ever seen."

Colin nodded, out of breath, and his brogue thick, "Shape charge lay ih all righ' where it needabe."

Jane and Kate patted him down as Abbie was allowed to sit up.

"No injuries, Hill." Kate called out, "Just get us out of here before they come back."

"Head fer Baltimore." Colin said as he regained his breath, "We need'a park dis before we go back to the warehouse."

Booth looked at him, "You think someone put a tracking device on the car?"

"Maybe or they've been following us through the traffic cams but I'm not taking any chances. We go pick up a van before we head back to base."

Abbie had been looking out the back window at the carnage, but she'd spun around and gripped Colin's hand. He looked at her as the others watched.

"Thank you." She turned to look at all of them, "Thank you all for this. I didn't know, but you did. Thank you."

Jane smirked at her double. "No more bitching about the flak vest."

Abbie nodded, "I swear."

* * *

Hill drove the Ford Econoline into the shed, a moment later Griggs had the door closed and locked. Colin stopped him by the crane controls and turned back to his crew.

"Alright." he said ,"The Suburban needs some work so we're moving. I want the container emptied within the hour and the bikes inside." He looked to the FBI agent. "If you value your truck get it outside and away from the door."

He turned to Griggs, "Hook up the container to the crane and get ready to open the floor, we're pulling out the LAV."

An hour later they watched as Colin and Griggs hooked the crane cable up to large eye loops in the center of the floor. Griggs grinned at the surprised expressions as he pulled the edge of the floor up on it's hinges near the wall. Once it was secured, he lowered the container into the hole there and they reclosed the floor. But, when he pulled open the other side, they all marveled at the flat black behemoth that was revealed.

"Griggs. Jane shouted, "What the hell is this place, 007's vacation garage?"

He smiled and shook his head, "It used to be a loading station for a mine, but they didn't know that there was an underground tributary spring nearby that fed the Atlantic. They hit it and lost something like fifty-nine minors when the whole thing flooded. This shed is all that is left, the rest is all underwater. It only goes about a hundred yards in either direction before you hit water."

"And the James Bond floor?" Kate asked.

"Some pieces of equipment were bigger than others so they used to back in smaller trucks to dump into the large mine dumpers. Things like all the basic needs of concrete. Later on they were putting maintenance equipment in here, so they added the floor with the hinges so it could do both jobs."

Colin finished hooking up the last loop and he raised his hand. Griggs pulled the lever on the crane and lifted the massive vehicle from the ground and up into the air. A moment later he set it down on the other door. Colin climbed into the truck and started it up. He let it idle for a moment and drove it off of the lift rack that it had been stored on, He left the thick armored door open and called out to Booth.

"Put your ride on the rack and we'll set it back down there, no one will know where it is."

He flipped a switch and the armored door closed on its hydraulic cylinder as he pulled it onto the other door. Booth pulled his SUV on to the rack and fifteen minutes later the crane was resecured and they were loading equipment into the armored transport.

"Okay, Q." Kate snickered, "How in the hell did you pull this off?"

Colin grinned as he shoved another crate of ammo in the back. "This baby is a demo model from one of our Armorers. They want us to shoot the shite out of it to see where the vulnerabilities are that they don't know about. I figured while their waiting, we'd put it through some real trials."

Abbie looked up at something that looked like an armored car, and a military truck got it on and vomited the thing. It was huge, it was heavy, and it was a monster.

"Yeah, I think someone is overcompensating." She said with a chuckle.

"Not really," Kate said almost to no one as she patted Abbie's shoulder and climbed up into the truck. "I've seen it."

Abbie's eyes widened and she looked over at Colin again. His cheeks flushed, indicating that he'd heard Kate too.

Abbie followed her up and Jane brought up the rear. "I want one for Christmas."

Griggs finished stacking ammo and nodded to Colin. "We're all good here as soon as we get those AT4's loaded."

Hill threw her medical kit up to Jane who shoved it in the back cargo area. "I want one in an ambulance package and include an AT4 for driving home for the holidays."

Kate looked at the blonde woman as she stowed her gear, "Where do you live that you need a rocket launcher for Christmas?"

Hill didn't even look up, "Chicago."

"That would do it for me." Kate quipped.

Jane nodded an agreement.

"Please," Abbie scoffed, "You haven't seen Houston yet. They'd eat this truck alive."

Jane, Kate, and Julia all looked at her.

Abbie shrugged and drew out her Texas drawl, "It's the truth, y'all. Ah'm from Dallas but ah went to college in Houston, trust me, that place just ain't right."

* * *

 _"US highway 401 was closed down today after a shootout involving at least 3 vehicles. The SUV here in the video has been identified as the armored SUV that picked up Assistant US Attorney Abigail Griffin outside of the US Courthouse earlier today. Authorities suspect that the attack was perpetrated on AUSA Griffin to stop the trial of former Senator William Bracken. We go live now to Tom Kaczynski who is at the sight of the carnage in Bowie, Maryland."_

The image on the Flat screen changed to a fit man of thirty with dazzling white teeth and movie star looks. Standing near a State Police barricade.

 _"Thank you Jan. The afternoon commute on the Crane Freeway was devastated this afternoon as unknown gunmen fired on AUSA Griffin while she was being transported to a secure location. At approximately three fifteen this afternoon the occupants of two pickup trucks opened fire on this black SUV with automatic weapons and military mortar shells. Mortars that missed the Suburban, but caused a tractor trailer to flip over on the southbound side and destroyed a luxury sedan carrying four people._

 _Our Channel 17 chopper caught the end of that gun battle along with the Maryland Department of Transportation freeway cams."_

The view changed from the anchorman to an aerial the caption read Chopper 17.

 _"You can see here the Suburban used what law enforcement calls the pit maneuver to crash the first truck, scattering its occupants on to the freeway at almost ninety miles an hour. When a gunman from the second vehicle fired what has been identified as a 40 Millimeter grenade launcher that exploded on the southbound lanes. A semi-truck flipped over in an attempt to vere around the blast. Then they fired a second grenade which blew up the silver Cadillac pictured here. That was when this man in black hung out of the SUVs sunroof and fired a rocket at the pursuing vehicle. The gunmen's truck was destroyed by the blast and so was everyone in it."_

The image changed back to the onsite reporter.

 _"The State police and County Sheriffs as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigations have secured the 301 from Central Avenue all the way up to the 301 US 50 junction. A spokesman for the US Attorney's Office informed us that Ms. Griffin was uninjured in the attack and plans to continue the trial on schedule. Former Senator Bracken was unavailable for comment."_

The TV clicked off and the Kingmaker sighed heavily. "Yet another useless attempt at saving your own ass."

Sipping at his scotch, the old man smacked his lips as the alcohol burned its way down his throat.

"Ah, Bill." He snorted, "All you had to do was kill the cops off. Three old men, one young girl."

His cell phone rang. He sighed as he looked at the number, "Oh no, this is your problem, you deal with it."

He set the phone down and his scotch and went to bed.


	20. Chapter 20

AN: For the record there is a slight variation of reality regarding the mouth and throat of the African Spurred Tortoise. In order to make them seem more menacing I hollywood magicked them into having similar mouths to the Leatherback Sea Turtle. Not to that extreme but I definitely wanted some of those ugly barbs. Google the scariest mouth in the world, it's freaky.

Oh and if you wanted to know, If I was casting this for TV, John Griffin could only be played by actor Jason O'Mara.

 **Home of Jane and Maura Rizzoli**

 **Boston, MA.**

Looking over his shoulder, John checked to make sure that no one saw him as she slid the picks inside the lock that secured the back door. Within a few seconds he had the lock twisted and took a breath before pushing the glass door open and stepping inside the large house in the quiet neighborhood of Roxbury. He'd already disabled the security system with the bypass controller that he'd borrowed from Evidence Management so the system wouldn't report the break in. Giving him time to search the 8000 square foot home.

As a precaution, he'd gone in through a single door at the edge of the L shaped covered porch in the back yard. He closed and relatched the door with a gloved hand and turned around to see a huge bedroom with it's own private bathroom. Stepping inside he found that it was modestly decorated. A night stand on either side of the queen sized bed, topped with two expensive looking Tiffany lamps and an alarm clock on one table and a digital picture frame on the other. He didn't see the image on it's screen because the unit had been turned off.

Since the bathroom could often be the most revealing and was also located at the edge of the home, John started for the short hallway that led to it. Large walk in closets were on both sides of the hall. Stepping in to the one on the left, he found that it was filled with very nice dresses of almost every style and more shoes than a shoe store. Each pair was sitting right side up inside it's appropriate box, with the lid beneath it. There had to be a hundred in here.

 _Someone's got a shoe fetish._ He started looking through the drawers. He found some of the raciest undergarments he'd ever seen. All silk, satin, and lace. Some of it was very delicate and John smiled to himself as he picked up a quarter cup bra that was all red and all lace. It wouldn't even cover half a tittie. _You never thought a cop would wear this under a uniform._

He snorted to himself and dropped the bra back in the drawer. On the top shelf he found a series of expensive hats in boxes and oddly enough a single baseball cap with the word Homicide embroidered across the front. He found the rest of the baseball uniform near a black and red bodysuit that he wasn't exactly sure why it was there. Shaking his head he left the closet and entered the smaller one across the hall.

As he clicked on the light he saw the complete opposite of what he'd found in the other one. Here were a few black strappy dresses mostly of a racerback design, a few others in blue and grey, several suits of various quality but in the corner is where he found confirmation that he was in the right place. A black Boston Police uniform with all of its badging and ribbons in place held inside a garment bag. He took it out by its hangar and noted the name plate said J. Rizzoli. He looked over the uniform and found two silver colored hash marks on the sleeve with a single blue half mark below it. It seemed out of character until he saw the Meritous Duty ribbon of the NYPD right below a brightly colored ribbon that was in a row all by itself. John pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of it before hanging the uniform back in it's place.

Just as he was about to turn away he saw the garment bag next to it. He unzipped it and found an NYPD uniform with the same hash marks and the same ribbons on it. The number 12 pinned on either side of the collar. The name Rizzoli etched into the name plate.

He tucked it away and started searching through the drawers. He found modest wear far different than what was in the other closet and when he came to her undergarments, he noted a significant size change. He peeled back a tag on a plain black padded bra and found his wife's size. _What the hell?_

Several pairs of jeans and some cargo pants were on the shelves and only a handful of shoes graced the floor. A couple pairs of sneakers, a few tactical boots, and only a couple strappy heels. A mystery to him, he walked out of the closet and into the bathroom.

He saw a jacuzzi tub large enough for two people, a stand up shower with clear glass doors. A towel closet filled with soft towels of good quality and three bathrobes. Two were cotton and one was silk. Two toothbrushes were standing in the tooth brush holder on the sink. Underneath the sink was a well organized supply of bath and beauty products as well as every conceivable hair device imaginable. The right side drawer had a ton of makeup products while the left had only some blush, a couple sticks of lipstick, and an odd looking comb that was the size of a hairbrush. He frowned as he walked into another closet only to find that it wasn't a closet. It was just a small room with a toilet and bidet.

John looked for any sign that a man lived here and found none. So he went back out into the bedroom and searched there. The tip drawer of the night stand next to the bed was empty except for a single empty magazine for a 45 caliber Glock and a chain for a badge holder. The bottom drawer had a few different garments for sleeping. He walked to the far side of the bed and found the top drawer held a hand held copy of Gray's Anatomy, an empty notebook, and a couple of pens. When he opened the bottom drawer, John rolled his eyes. _Every woman has one._

Personal lubricants, a flesh colored dildo, and a small silver device he was sure was a vibrator lay along side some sleeping garments. He smiled to himself as he closed the drawer and moved on to the rest of the house.

He moved into the first room that lay near the large living room and found a crib and several pieces of baby furniture still in the boxes, all stacked neatly in the center of the room. He also found a small private bathroom with a new wash sink installed. He looked it over and saw that it was designed as a safe place to wash a baby. The sink was expensive, he knew that. He could smell fresh caulk and saw that the glass shower doors with the safety latch were brand new. _Have plans do you Jane?_

He walked out and went to the next room and found a single bed with an adjoining bathroom. There was nothing personal in here at all so John gave it a cursory look. Before moving through the empty bathroom and into a room with a new bunk bed. Here he again looked over a room that had no personal feeling to it. He looked under the beds and even under the mattresses but found nothing to indicate why there was a brand new bunk bed in here.

The last room in line was a treasure trove of personals. He found a variety of outfits, all womens, in the closet with a lot of plain black medical scrubs. The pictures on the dresser were the most telling. A young Pretty redhead with an older man was smiling as she hugged him. A few more pictures were similar until he saw the brunette in the picture near her bed. Brown haired and beautiful, both wore Yankee's jerseys and were smiling brightly at the camera. Then he saw his wife. He snatched the picture up to see his wife in a Boston Red Sox jersey holding the redhead and laughing while the brunette's hand covered the Yankee's logo on the girls jersey. The brown haired woman was laughing with them. He found several other pictures of his wife and his eyes widened as he found one where she was kissing a gorgeous woman with honey blond hair.

His anger rising he wanted to throw the picture, until he caught sight of the last one on the dresser. He set the picture down and crouched on his knee to look. The redhead was hugging his wife and the blonde who were both in wedding dresses. His wife, or who he though was his wife had her back towards the camera as she hugged the redhead and the blond and he could see a tattoo on the back of her shoulder. He couldn't make it out but he knew that Abbie didn't have that. Jake wasn't kidding when he said the cop looked just like his wife, right down to the dimpled grin.

John took a deep breath and resumed the search for his boys.

A few minutes into the living room he found a portrait with the entire wedding party. He didn't know who all of them were but one thing was very obvious. The cop was marrying the honey blonde in the picture.

A gay cop who looks just like my wife. He wouldn't have believed it if Jake had done this search. Finally John came across an at home office with a huge wealth of knowledge about who the blond was. Dr. Maura Isles had several citations and diplomas on the wall and as he looked around the room he found that the back wall had a few from Jane Rizzoli. Including a citation for valor during the Boston Police shoot out at division one head quarters. But what had him curious was the three small tables near the corner. In front of a dry erase board that looked out of place. He walked over to them and found a name written in the wood.

 **Justin Griffin '15**

"There you are." He said and heard a loud scraping from the kitchen.

John jerked his gun out of the back of his pants and walked towards the sound, gun ready. He stepped quietly out of the office and through the living room to the kitchen. A loud thick hiss greeted him as he slowly stepped into the dining room.

There on the floor was the biggest turtle he'd ever seen and it was staring at him. The thing opened its beak and hissed at him again.

"Are you kidding me?" He said to the reptile. "You couldn't catch me if I was walking."

A loud scrape from the kitchen caused him to jerk as he saw another one, bigger than the last one scraping its way towards him.

"Who the hell are these people?" He asked as the turtle hissed.

When it opened its maw John saw a tongue that was covered in little spikes. Another set of them protruded down inside its throat. The turtle hissed loudly and not one of those spikes moved in the thing's breath which told John that they were solid spines designed to keep things from leaving the nasty reptile's mouth. He took a step back because the last thing he wanted was to get his foot caught in there and that gaping beak was large enough to do it.

As the smaller of the two moved towards him he decided that he was going to move this along. Stepping out of the kitchen he moved quickly through the house to find a large yoga studio and a basement. He wasn't about to go down there and get trapped by the friggin ninja turtles so he instead moved around to the far side of the house. Keeping an eye on the slow moving guard dogs he found a laundry room and a garage with a shiny black Mercedes inside as well as a black Impala. In a storage closet he found baseball gear and one glove had JMG written on it in sharpie. He recognized the handwriting as his own.

"Okay, so they were here." He heard a scraping sound and frowned, "With the goddamn pitbull turtles."

He walked back into the house and saw them moving slowly through the dining room. He turned and saw a stairwell that went upstairs. John moved quickly up to see that it lead to a small apartment where a man obviously stayed. He found a small lock box for a pistol and in a drawer, he saw a certificate that identified the man as a bond recovery agent.

John made a quick search and found a letter from someone named Colin.

 **Cuz.**

 **I heard about what you were doin' while my friends were in New York. I just wan to say that I'm proud of you little brother, and that I know your doin yer best to make good on your second chance. Jane is a good friend o' mine so take care of her and Maura. They be good people. Don't let them down and they'll always be there for you.**

 **Take care, cousin.**

 **Colin.**

John pulled his phone out and snapped a picture of it and of the bond certification. Somewhere in this he'd find answers.

He moved down the stairs and caught sight of the two turtles sitting not far from the stairwell.

"Okay, not exactly James bond but I can do this." He took a step towards them and the little one, as big as a coffee table, snapped its beak and opened up gain. John took a step and leapt over the bigger one which snapped its jaw at him. He took three steps and smiled as the "little" one turned around as fast as it could, all the while hissing.

"Yeah, grow some legs." He said and walked to the back door. Flipping the latch he walked outside and reset the lock before going to collect the Bypass Controller.

As John climbed over the fence he didn't see the white haired man who stepped out of Maura's office. Tall robust and very lethal, he watched John's search from one end of the home to the other. His grim face waiting to see what the the man would do. But he'd gone through everything and took nothing. That alone told him what he needed to know.

The man had been here searching for information. Retracing John's steps through the house, he found the tortoises in the kitchen, he went into the refrigerator and pulled out two strawberries and two lotus leafs. He set them on the floor not far from either of them and the reptiles went about munching on their snack.

"I get cranky when someone doesn't feed me too." He said and patted Tank's shell. "You did good pal."

He walked upstairs to Kieran's room and found the letter. "Well that's not good."

A few steps later he was out of the house and walking towards his nondescript Ford Five Hundred which was parked over two blocks away. But as a car pulled along the street behind him, He discreetly slid his hand to his gun.

He looked at the side of a panel van and saw the Mercedes in it's reflection a second before it politely honked to him.

Jackson turned ever so slightly and stiffened as he realized who's car it was.

"Jackson Hunt." Said the man in the well tailored suit from the back seat.

"Raymond Reddington." Hunt said casually, though both me knew that he was ready for a trap.

"Fancy seeing you in Boston." Red said with a smile, "How long has it been?"

"Not long enough." He growled and started walking again. "I'm trying to forget about that business in Budapest. You should probably go before I forget why I haven't killed you yet."

Red laughed, "Do you know what I remember most about Budapest?"

"I have a feeling it had to do with that gypsy girl, what was her name? Aria?" Hunt snorted over his shoulder.

"Anica." Red supplied, "She had the most talented navel."

Jackson snorted again which caused red to smile even wider, "I remember that you were particularly fascinated by that one girl, Mirella I think her name was?"

Jackson smiled at him, "I was on a mission. See, unlike you, I actually have a purpose."

"I trust Mirella is doing well in her new life." Red said with a grin.

Jackson stopped and turned with a loss of patience evident on his face. "Since I doubt you're here to reminisce, how about we just get to the point, red. I've got work to do."

Red nodded to Dembe who stopped the car. The tall black man got out of the car and opened the door for Jackson.

"What do I look like, the village idiot?" He said to the African.

Dembe shrugged and set his gun on the hood of the Mercedes.

Only after he sat his gun on the roof and walked to the front of the car did Jackson get in. They both knew that red would be packing as was Jackson.

"So make it quick."

"The man who just left the house where your grand daughter lives isn't interested in your family." Red said smoothly. "He's DHS and he's looking for his children."

"In that house?" Jackson smirked disbelievingly. "C'mon. What are the chances of a DHS agent going through that house looking for his children."

Red smiled, "Considering that their under the care of your son and and members of your extended family, I'd say better than average. My understanding is that Dr. Rizzoli is continuing their education while their mother is trying the bracken case."

Jackson looked towards Dembe who stood with his hands clasped together. "Okay, let's say I believe you."

"Don't play games Jackson, you already know all about it. You just haven't looked into the husband yet because until now he wasn't involved." Red said firmly, "You know he's going to dig into Rizzoli and Beckett and he's going to find out where there hiding. Taking into consideration of who you'll find he's in bed with, you might like to go ahead and pack for Illinois because that's where the danger is going to come from."

"And my daughter in-law?" he snorted sarcastically, "You'll cover that, right?"

"Good god, no." Red said indignantly, "Your family issues are your own. Besides, AUSA griffin is well protected by your daughter in law and her friends. In addition I know that they are being backed up by the CIRG out of New York City."

"Still going after the Cabal, I see." Jackson smiled at that, "I get why you won't tell Elizabeth about you but one thing I would like to know." He looked at red, "How in the hell did you get Taylor to allow your people to tattoo her from head to toe?"

"Once she understood the dangers, I couldn't stop her from going through with it." Red said.

"That's the reason we haven't killed each other." Jackson said. "We know who the other's children are."

He opened the door and started to get out but paused, "What are you getting out of this?"

"The Cabal and the Raven." He said.

Jackson smiled at him. "You let me know if you get a lead on that bitch."

And he stepped out of the car.

Dembe picked his piece up off the hood and watched hunt get into the Five hundred and drive away.


	21. Chapter 21

**Robert A. Taft Memorial and Carillon.**

 **Washington D.C.**

John Griffin pulled his car into a parking space alongside 1st Avenue Northwest near Northwest Constitution. Putting the car in park he looked over at the sole Cherry blossom tree that stood by itself in the corner of the Taft Memorial. Not Far from the USAO, John used to pick up lunch at the Capitol Cafe and lay a blanket out beneath the tree and await the love of his life. So many momentous thing had happened beneath that tree that overlooked the Capitol and it was the only place in the world where John could remember being the happiest. Sighing heavily John sat down in the grass and put his back to the tree.

He knew why he was here. It was the pictures inside that house in Boston. The woman who looked so much like his wife.

She looked happy, really happy, as she held that honey blond haired woman. So many pictures there reminded him of happier times when Abbie looked at him the way the Detective looked at her wife. He couldn't fathom the relationship she had with another woman but he did understand love. And they were planning to have a child, soon from the looks of the baby's room.

John bowed his head and remembered back when he was that happy. It had been right here, almost 14 years ago.

 _ **August 6th, 2002**_

 _"So I know that you have court but…" John reached into the small duffel bag and pulled out a very nice bottle of wine, "I think one glass wouldn't hurt."_

 _Abbie smiled at his thoughtfulness as he retrieved two glasses from the bag and set them down next to the assortment of picnic foods, he'd brought while he waited for her. John was such an amazing romantic when he had a mind to do so. In addition to the grilled chicken clubs, he'd brought an assortment of cheeses to go with the grapes, strawberries, and now topped it off with a bottle of summer red. But as he reached fro the bottle opener She caught his hand._

 _"I can't." She said softly._

 _"Awe, c'mon, Abbie." He smiled, "It's just a glass and I promise it'll go very well with the Fromage."_

 _Abbie laughed at the way he butchered the French word for cheese. But as he set the corkscrew to the bottle again she stopped him again._

 _"John, I can't have any." She said again._

 _He stopped as she stared at him._

 _"John?" She said hesitantly. "I need to tell you something."_

 _His smile fell and he set the bottle down and took her hand, " What's going on, Baby Doll?"_

 _She bit her lip nervously before looking up at him again, "John… I'm pregnant."_

 _He blinked at her and opened his mouth but no sound came out. Abbie took the silence poorly and started spouting of._

 _"I'm sorry. I was careful with my birth control but…"_

 _"Your pregnant?" He asked and his face lifted into a lopsided smile, "Really?"_

 _It was Abbie's turn to be surprised. "Your not mad? I mean, I know when never talked about it but-"_

 _"I can't believe it." He said and his face fell slightly, "Do you want to keep it?"_

 _Abbie looked away, "I'm not against it but…"_

 _"But what?" He asked, praying that she wasn't thinking of that._

 _She looked up at him again, "I don't think I could go through with an abortion."_

 _His wide smile was a huge relief to her, "Abbie, I love you and this isn't the way I wanted to start a family but…"_

 _"But what?" She asked._

 _"But I'll take it." He said and pulled her hand up to his lips. "I think I need to go ring shopping."_

 _Her face went white and he reached out to cup her cheek, "Wow you just got pale. Are you alright? Are you going to get sick?"_

 _Abbie got up onto her knees, "John, I love you so much and yeah, I'm okay but, I'm not ready to get married. I just found out that I'm pregnant."_

 _"Right," he said, "So we should get married."_

 _"And if you seen all the cases I've seen over the years of people who got married because of a pregnancy, you'd understand."_

 _"Abbie." He protested._

 _"John, listen, please." She'd said. "I do love you and if we do get married, I want it to be for the right reasons, not because I'm pregnant."_

 _He nodded to her and again brought her hand to his lips. "Your pregnant."_

 _"I am." She replied._

 _"I love you, Abbie." He said as he pulled her into his arms, "Tonight, we're going to celebrate."_

 _She smiled as he nuzzled her cheek. "But will you say that when I'm fat and can't even put my shoes on."_

 _John leaned back and picked up one o f the two velvet cupcakes he'd brought, knowing their her favorite. "Let's find out."_

 _He shoved the cupcake against her face and smeared it along her cheek with a grin._

 _"John!" She shouted in laughter._

 _She grabbed at his hands as he pushed her down onto the blanket. All the wile she was laughing as he gently licked the creme from her face. "Oh my god! You ass."_

 _He laughed as she giggled furiously beneath her, both careful to stay off her stomach. Abbie laughed as John had smiled down on her, I love you Abbie."_

 _She cupped his cheek with her hand. "I love you too." Right before she snatched the other cupcake and mashed it into his face._

He sat there for several minutes remembering those happier times. The three times Abbie had said that she was pregnant. And the day he'd proposed to her beneath this very tree. John sat there wishing for all he was worth that he could go back and fix things. Regardless of everything that happened, he did love Abbie. He just wished that things had been different. John knew where he went wrong and more than anything else, he wanted to change that one moment that had irrevocably altered his life.

His phone rang and he answered it without looking, expecting to hear from his partner on the information he;d relayed on his way back to D.C.

"Jake, talk to me."

 _"Hello, John."_ Came the soft voice of the last person he wanted to hear from.

"Ella." He said coldly.

She laughed. _"Is that how you talk to all of your lovers?"_

"Just the ones that threaten to charge me with rape."

Again she laughed. _"And I thought you had as much fun as I did. Honestly John. Admit it. You loved holding me down and fucking me hard. I felt how much you spilled inside of me."_

"I was trying to get information on the drug shipments." He said through clenched teeth. "If I'd have known you made me i never would have touched you. Let alone made it rough like you wanted."

 _"Which is why I never told you about the camera."_ She simpered.

"Look, I'm kinda busy right now." He sneered.

 _"I heard, trouble at home? I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact you like to stick your dick in women who your not married to."_

"Just you and that was business." He snapped.

 _"Don't forget Greylek."_ She breathed. _"I know you love fucking her over and over but then again, she's so hot. I love watching her face when she comes for you, it's almost enough for me."_

John froze at her words. _No way! She couldn't possibly…_

 _"You wouldn't want me showing your wife my collection of home videos."_ She laughed again. _"But Kim? If she can go down on me like she does you, I might have to show her my collection at my house."_

"Haven't I done enough for you?" He asked.

 _"Oh hell no."_ She hissed. _"Like it or not, you belongs to me, John. Now about your wife, this trial is causing problems for a friend of mine. I want you to find away to get her to leave it alone."_

"And how exactly do you expect me to do that? I've got my own problems."

 _"Your a smart man."_ She cooed. _"Use that big head of you're to figure it out or I'll have to send some men after your boys to get her cooperation. Bracken owes people some pretty hefty favors that he can't pay back and I want him in one piece."_

His throat tightened. He knew who she'd send and that psycho was too short tempered to be around his sons.

"I'll find a way."

 _"Monday, John."_ She said firmly. _"Don't forget to kiss your lovely mistress for me. Give her a good pounding and I might remember that she doesn't like women."_

The line disconnected and John resisted the urge to throw the phone. He had to get to his boys, that was his first priority. But if Ella Poe knew about Kim, then she would know when he was heading out to get his kids.

He dialed his partner and tried to figure out how to get to Abbie.

 **Unknown Warehouse**

 **Anacostia, MD.**

"Hey bro. I got it." Jake Acevedo said with a cheeky confidence. "Springfield Illinois. I'm putting the boys together right now."

 _"Good but I got a problem. I can't go with you."_ John grumbled.

"Wsup?"

 _"I gotta keep Abbie from knowing what your doing so just go get my kids and get them safe."_

"You got it man." Jake said with a smirk. "I'll take care of everything."

 _"You're the only one I trust, Jake. Don't let me down."_

John disconnected and Jake immediately dialed a new number. The phone rang twice with a foreign ring signal before she answered.

 _"Good news?"_ She purred.

"It worked." Acevedo said happily. "He's staying behind."

 _"Very good."_ and he could hear the pleasure in her voice. _"Get his kids and meet up with Mango. He'll bring you and the kids back to Arboletes where I can get her to tank the trial."_

Jake smiled. "And John?"

 _"He's quickly outliving his usefulness."_ She said.

"Good." Jake spat, "the guy's a friggin pussy and I'm tired of having to hold his hand in every operation."

 _"Then it's a good thing I had you put those camera's in Greylek's home."_ She chuckled, _"Are you ready to come home?"_

"Sooner the better." Jake said, "cost of living here sucks."

She laughed, _"Go get 'em."_

Jake disconnected and looked over the hand picked team of operators. "Okay, that was the boss, let's go take care of griffin's kids and it's back to the beach."

"Bout friggin time." One called out.

"Umbrella drinks and dirty freaks." Another one shouted.

Jake grabbed his bag and nodded, "Team Blackbird, Mount up!"

The ten men moved from the open space to the three black Chevy Tahoe's that were parked near the door. One by one they dumped their duffels into the back and climbed into the trucks. A few moments later they were on their way to steal three children from a hand full of cops hiding out at an arms testing range.

Acevedo smiled, "Like taking candy from a baby."

* * *

 **Base Camp.**

 **Columbia, MD.**

After the LAV was packed, Colin gathered the crew for a briefing before they headed out. They stood gathered around the side of the heavily armored transport as Colin looked them over.

"So now we're really in it." Colin said. "Until the armorer can touch up the Suburban were going to be noticed wherever we go because you just can't hide a ten ton tank like this so a friend of mine has graciously offered us a place to park where it won't stand out so much. Jane and Kate have met Colonel Sanchez before. Well, he's made arrangements for us to have a hangar over at the airstrip at Fort A.P. Hill for a while. He offered us troops as well, but I told him they weren't needed. Instead he's got Security beefed up at the airstrip and they know enough to leave us be. Should our needs come to it, we can call on the garrison for help."

"Like we're under attack?" Kate groaned.

"Yeah, like that." Colin nodded. "I don't know what the setup is at the hangar but it's remote, it's secure, and we can get concealment." He turned his attention to Abbie, "You're sleeping in the LAV because it's armored and if the enemy gets their hands on their own explosives, I want you safely tucked away with Julia."

He turned to the blonde medic, but pointed two fingers at Abbie "Should anything go wrong, your job is to make sure that she gets deep inside the base. Drive the LAV right into the barracks if you have to."

Julia nodded. "Got it, Sarge."

He turned to Kate. "Soldiers will be on patrol along the perimeter of the airfield as well as the routine security patrols on post. None of them will be authorized to approach the hangar so we will have guard duty to monitor their activities. No one is permitted inside the hangar for any reason. Not the MPs, not the regular Police, not the soldiers."

She bobbed her head and Colin turned to Booth, "I have a total of two friends on this base, Colonel Sanchez, and his Sergeant Major. They made this happen for us and I may have to leave from time to time to go on post and you'll be in charge till I get back."

Booth nodded. "Got it."

Colin then turned to Jane. "Abbie is all that matters so you know what to do."

Jane nodded. "Yeah, I do."

Colin patted Griggs. "We'll be issued a Singar Radio on post to monitor base communications. Have it set up in the LAV as quickly as possible and make sure you check its guts out thoroughly for any kind of GPS transmitter."

"No problem," Griggs replied.

He turned back to the group as a whole. "Alright. The sun set twenty minutes ago and after yesterday I want to be inside the hangar before dawn. Our next court appearance is two days from now so that gives us a full day to prep for insertion. AP Hill is a major training facility for the Military so you can expect to see service members from every branch. In addition, it's used for several services of the Department of Justice so you can expect to see Federal Agents as well."

He looked at Abbie. "Abbie, because this is a high profile case. Neither you or Booth are to leave the hangar at all, last thing we need is for someone to take a shot at you out of convenience."

He then turned to the partners. "You two don't go outside without total concealment since by now Bracken is more than likely looking for you too."

They all nodded.

"Since Griggs and Hill are the only two who are active military, they'll handle supplies." He looked over his team. "Any questions?"

There were none.

"Alright, everybody in." he said and looked at Hill, "Yer still driving."

 **Outside of Bowling Green, VA.**

Four hours is how long it took to get to Fort Hill. Since Washington was directly in line between Baltimore and Bowling Green, Virginia, Colin had created a route to circumvent the Capital altogether. Unfortunately the hour and a half trip was more than doubled.

Kate lifted her head from her catnap as the howl of the aggressive tires lowered its pitch, signaling a reduction in speed. She glanced around the cab at her crew.

Her partners eyes were wide open and alert as she watched the area for any signs of a threat. Those dark eyes met hers and Jane sent her reassurance. _A good night for Jane's insomnia to visit._ Kate nodded and looked at the nearly identical woman who lay asleep next to her best friend.

Colin had insisted that Abbie get as much sleep as possible since it would take a while to get to the base and it would take more time to get set up in the hangar. Though he denied it, Kate knew that his concern for the attorney was more than just the mission. Colin was smitten and it was something she'd never seen from her friend before. It was actually cute watching his cheeks mottle with embarrassment when Kate caught him looking at Abbie.

The interesting part was the innocent way Abbie kept inquiring about him semi innocently. Jane was certain Abbie was attracted to him, but in both of the partners' experience, it wasn't that unusual. The fact that Colin was also attracted to her was the unusual part but Abbie's marriage and her children kept both her and Colin in check.

Kate looked at Colin who was sitting in the front passenger seat directing the Medic towards the base. She knew him to be a hard working, fun loving man who could drink her under the table. But very rarely had she ever seen the rigid soldier that he was the rest of the year. Something she had seen in abundance here and oddly enough reminded her of her partner's other side. It was hard to put the two images together in her mind.

Colin looked over his shoulder at the sleeping attorney and then up to Kate.

She smiled and mouthed "bad boy" in the dark. Colin stiffened and turned back to the road. She smiled to herself and looked towards Booth.

The FBI agent sat lightly dozing in his seat as his right hand fingered the ring on his left. _He must be missing Dr. Brennan,_ She thought to herself. Temperance Brennan was smart like Maura was smart and as Kate thought about it, Booth wasn't much different from Jane. Tough dedicated cops madly in love with brilliant doctors whom they work with.

Kate instinctively stroked the ring on her finger. _God, how can I miss him so much? We've only been gone for four weeks._

Four weeks of no contact. She didn't even know if he made it to Springfield all right. Kate looked over at Jane wondering if this was what her partner was feeling. Jane and Maura had always had a hard time being apart since they'd finally hooked up together in New York.

Her eyes fell to Specialist Hill who was driving the behemoth. Though she knew the woman casually from LETO, Kate really didn't know her that well. It was Liv who'd made it a point to get to know her and it was Liv who told them Julia's brother and sister-in-law had been killed by a drunk driver, leaving the blonde haired medic with her orphaned niece. As Dani's only living relative, Julia was now responsible for raising the girl. Liv had said that Julia cherishes and adores Dani and Kate wondered if the medic regretted leaving Dani behind. It made her think about her own vibrant "not quite" daughter.

Alexis had been more than accepting of Kate into their lives, welcoming her with open arms. Something that Kate had been very grateful for. Though a genius like Brennan and Maura, Alexis had a kind of naivety that Kate had held in awe. But that innocence had been shattered last Christmas. Alexis had grown from the experience and it had brought her and the redhead closer together but Kate would give anything to have the sweet innocent Alexis back, the one who hadn't had to kill. She made a mental note to get to know Julia and her niece better.

Kate's eyes went to the robust Cuban sergeant sleeping behind the driver's seat. Griggs was single, mischievous, and had a knack for picking up bimbos. He probably missed picking up some former college cheerleader in a bar somewhere whose IQ was smaller than her shoe size. Kate shook her head at the tall Cuban man. When he wasn't the brains behind the Close Quarters Battle simulator at LETO, he was little more than a party animal, a step up from a frat boy since he didn't spend his time completely wasted, just moderately intoxicated and completely hilarious in every way.

Colin's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Here we are." He said, "Switch off the headlights, but leave the running lights on"

Julia turned towards the gate and shut off the lights. The guard at the gate called into the building and two other soldiers with M16s came out.

Colin called out. "Wake 'em up Kate. We're here."

While Kate was waking up Griggs and Booth, she did so in a manner that wouldn't wake up Abbie. Julia pulled up to the gate and the soldier held a hand up. She put the truck in park and Colin unlatched his door and flipped a switch. As the armored door swung open, he pulled papers off the dash and climbed out of the vehicle.

He walked straight up to the soldier and presented the paperwork. Colin handed the orders off to the guard and cleared his throat. "Morning gentlemen. We have authorization from Colonel Sanchez to enter and proceed to the airfield."

The specialist took the paper, but didn't read it. "Identification is required prior to entry sir."

"Read the paper, son. Or should I call the Sergeant Major at his home." Colin held up his arm and shined a penlight on his watch. "I'm sure he'll be awfully cheerie to have the Colonel's orders questioned at oh three hundred."

The soldier stiffened and held the paper under the guard shack flood light.

His features got confused then he made a decision.

"Standing orders is no one enters without ID, sir." He said firmly, "And without the colonel or the sergeant major to verify this, I can't let you pass."

Colin pulled a cell phone out of his vest pocket, "Your name son."

"Specialist Andrews."

He quickly dialed a number and put the phone to his ear.

"It's me. Specialist Andrews needs verification... Copy that." He hung up and stood patiently.

"Sir I'm going to have to ask you to turn your vehicle around and leave the..."

The phone in the guard shack rang and he looked at his two companions. "Hold him here."

He went in to answer the phone. A moment later he pressed the button to open the gate and handed Colin the paper. "You're cleared to proceed sir." He said quickly. "Let him in."

Colin nodded. "I'll see to it Sergeant Major understands your only being diligent." Colin turned on his heel and climbed back into the truck.


	22. Chapter 22

_**Some history here and I felt the need to turn this up a notch.**_

* * *

 **Hangar 3**

 **Fort A.P. Hill, VA.**

"I don't get it." Abbie said as she finished digging out the case file.

Kate stopped setting up her cot and looked at her. "What?"

Abbie glanced out onto the hangar floor where Colin and Booth were going over a map. "I mean he pulled all of this together. The guns, the hideouts, the friggin tank out there. The arsenal that were using. I've met Generals that couldn't pull this together." She looked up at the partners, "How 'in' with the military is he?"

"That's a loaded question," Jane joked, "Care to take a crack at it, partner?"

Kate sat down on her bunk and cupped her hands together, "For the most part, Colin is on the outs with the army. His first tour didn't go over well and he was injured pretty badly. He blamed the accident on training and started this crusade to improve on all of Basic Training. He's made such a stink of it that most of the commanders don't like him. Eventually he got permanently loaned out to Springfield Arms as a military consultant where, ironically enough, he was able to do the most good."

"What happened to him?" Abbie asked with concern.

"We don't really know." Kate said, "He doesn't talk about it and we respect that so we don't ask."

Jane nodded as she finished her own cot, "Have you ever heard of the Law Enforcement Tactical Operations expo? It's hosted at Fort Justice in Springfield, Illinois."

Abie thought about it for a second, "I don't think I have."

Kate rolled her eyes at her partner, "It's commonly referred to as LETO."

Snapping her fingers, Abbie nodded, "That I've heard of. It's a big show of appreciation for the Law Enforcement community. My analyst said that it's a big campaign to keep Springfield as the number one police supplier of arms."

"That's actually bullshit." Jane snorted.

"It is somewhat of a campaign, but not what your analysts think it is." Kate said, "It is an appreciation for us and what we do, but LETO was created for another purpose entirely."

"What's that?" Abbie asked.

"The original acronym was Existing Law Enforcement Training Expansion, ELETE." Kate glanced out the door and noted where Colin was standing. "Because Colin was raising a stink with the Army, he basically got banished to Illinois, so he created 'Elite' as a way around the brass to get his training doctrine out. When Griggs accidentally blew up some Colonel's car at DARPA, he got sent to Springfield and they got together and eventually Elite evolved into LETO. They sold the idea to Gilbert Huff as an appreciation party and therefore something Gill could market to expand sales."

"LETO became an annual event that almost half of law enforcement everywhere wants to be a part of, mostly because of the games they play." Jane added, "It's actually become an invitation only event. Colin and Griggs target the invitations to cities with higher crime rates and targets units in those departments that could use additional training. The unit commander's select the cops they want to send from their units. The games are actually a new way of training the cops to be better at their jobs."

"It's caught a lot of attention over the last fourteen years." Kate said with a smile, "One of the first to take notice of the change in the LEOs was Deputy Marshal Raylan Givens from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. He passed on what he learned and soon FLECT trainers were coming to Springfield to expand on their curriculum, Twice a year Colin would go out to Glynco and teach there too. Shortly thereafter, Major Sanchez from this base heard about Colin and the expanded training that he was teaching to Glynco and he came out to see for himself. When Sanchez was promoted to Colonel and got command of AP Hill, he started bringing Colin out here twice a year to demonstrate his training to several heads of the Department of Justice, as well as expanding on a few of the training regiments here."

"The more of the old brass that moves out of the Pentagon and into retirement, the more Colin's training techniques are being used." Jane said, "He never gave up on believing that he could correct whatever training he lacked that caused the accident that almost killed him and twenty years later his training doctrine and his techniques are being used throughout the country."

Abbie couldn't believe the story they were telling her and she stared out the door at the dark haired man next to the Fed. "He did all of that without the Pentagon knowing?"

"Oh, they figured it out a few years back and started sending him to Fort Bragg to train Rangers and Green Berets." Jane grumbled, "They messed up when they sent him to Springfield and recently they realized it. They were going to send him over to Iraq and Afghanistan under the guise of training troops, but Colin got a tip that it was basically exile because some general was embarrassed that he hadn't listened to Colin way back when. He decided not to reenlist and kept his position as head of training at Springfield. Fort Justice is now all his and he has the final say on what happens there."

"But, with his military contract they can reactivate him." Abbie said. "I learned that when a friend of mine got reactivated."

"They wouldn't dare." Kate said, "Colin has a lot of love from Law Enforcement and especially from the training centers. That in itself wouldn't keep him here, but a few higher ups from various agencies of the DOJ have already requested the DOD's release of his contract so they can hire him as a training officer as have some of the more larger police departments. That includes Commissioner Reagan from the NYPD. Gilbert Huff has personally contacted the Joint Chief of Staff and informed him that Colin is critical to their Combat Training Center. Believe me, The Law Enforcement community has Colin's back so he isn't going anywhere."

Jane noded, "In addition he's generated a lot of respect from competing arms manufacturers and Law Enforcement outfitters when he opened up LETO to all suppliers of programs and equipment. LETO is the place to show off your stuff to Law Enforcement and it all happened because of Colin, though he passes most of the credit onto Gill."

"Wow." Abbie said and again couldn't help but admire the Irishman.

Jane looked at Kate, "But there's something you should know, Abbie."

She looked back at her double, "What's that?"

"Colin is using up a lot of favors to keep you alive." Jane said, "He and the Colonel go back about ten years, but believe me, this is the last place Colin wants to bring any kind of trouble."

She stared at her younger copy, "Then why are we here?"

"Because," Kate answered. "Colin knows what's at stake and he'll burn every favor he has to make sure you get to court in one piece. I know it's a lot, but we're all depending on you to keep us all safe."

There was a banging on the hangar door and Colin drew his pistol and went to answer the door. Jane and Kate readied their rifles while putting Abbie behind them. A moment later they heard Colin's voice echoing through the hangar.

"Stand down, The Sergeant Major came by to check on us."

Jane paused, but handed Abbie her rifle. "Don't shoot anyone." she said before moving to the side.

Abbie brought up the weapon after checking the safety.

Colin stepped back to allow a tall man in camouflage inside the hangar. Older than most, he was six foot two, lean and obviously still fit, with white grey hair close cropped to his head and deep blue eyes. His face was a hardened shell of a career soldier. Griggs stepped out from behind the armored truck and slung his rifle behind his back.

"You of course know Griggs." Colin said to the man.

"Sergeant." He said formally to the Cuban.

"Sergeant Major." Griggs said with that slight grin. "Always a pleasure hanging out at A.P."

"Special Agent. Hill." Colin called out and Hill slid out of the driver's seat of the heavily armored transport as Booth stepped out into the open near the office.

"Sergeant Major," Colin said as Booth walked up to them. "This is our Agent on loan from the FBI to ensure we're operating within our scope of authority. You of course know Specialist Hill."

The Sergeant Major nodded to the medic and shook hands with the Fed.

"Agent." He said in a low rumble of a voice.

"Sergeant Major." The Fed said, "What brings you by?"

"You've bought an armed force on my base." He said in his deep baritone, "Although the Colonel understands the need for secrecy. No one comes on my base armed without me knowing something about it."

"This is a protection detail and the safety and security of our asset is my highest priority." Colin informed him. "I don't want anything to happen here so we'll be off post in a few days."

"Alright, O'Malley." He said gruffly, "I've seen what you want me to see now show your whole hand."

"Our safety depends on secrecy. In a moment you'll understand why." Colin said as he lead the Sergeant Major towards the office area. "Your discretion is essential."

"Don't play games with me O'Malley." He growled in a deep timber, "Especially after what I did to get your training program off the ground here."

Colin nodded and opened the door to where they were bunking down.

The Sergeant Major stopped as he saw the three women who were sequestered inside. Two of which looked like twins.

"I'm sure you've seen AUSA Griffin on the news." Colin said as he leaned against the door frame.

Both women were amazingly similar, but the one who was supposedly the AUSA had the hardened eyes of a combat vet where her guard was slightly nervous.

He turned to the woman with the rifle and nodded. "Counselor."

Abbie's eyes widened at being picked out while Jane's hardened.

The Sergeant Major smirked slightly and looked back at Colin. "A very good switch O'Malley."

"This is Sergeant Major Novak." Colin said to them, "He's the top NCO on post."

Kate's eyes widened slightly at the name. "Any relation to ADA Casey Novak?"

Novak turned to her and narrowed his eyes. "If you know my daughter and O'Malley, that means your NYPD."

"Yes sir." She said in surprise.

He then glared at Jane. "And that makes you Boston police."

"How did you know that?" Jane asked in disbelief.

"O'Malley wouldn't trust just anyone on this so that means you're his LETO crew." His eyes hardened and his jaw clenched, "but you're missing a person so where is she?"

His less than friendly tone got her threat detection going on defensive, Jane stood up. "She's keeping my wife and," she tipped her chin towards Abbie, "her children safe."

"Good place for her." Novak grumbled.

Jane narrowed her eyes at his vague hostility. "That's my family, sir. Mind your manners."

"Jane." Kate and Colin said at the same time knowing the history behind Novak's dislike of Olivia.

"Don't take that tone with me, Detective." Tom growled at her, "I've known her a lot longer than you have and it was my daughter that got hurt."

Jane stood ramrod stiff, unflinching. His menacing tone did nothing to phase her. "And she paid for it. I've seen what she's suffered and I know because I've been there myself. We're kindred spirits when it comes to pain. Believe me when I say, she paid dearly for her choices and I won't let anyone badmouth my sister after what she suffered."

Abbie watched as Jane stared down the Sergeant Major. Obviously he wasn't happy with Olivia and it made her want to know what had happened but knew better than to ask with an angry father nearby. Novak glanced back at O'Malley and raised a finger to Jane in a come-with-me motion. "Let's take a walk."

"Absolutely." Jane snapped.

"Stand down, Jane." Kate ordered.

"Too late." Colin said to her.

The Sergeant Major turned and left. Jane slung her rifle over her shoulder, grabbed her balaclava, and followed him.

Kate sighed and followed them both out throwing on her balaclava before hitting the door.

"Oh shit." Julia said to Griggs as the sergeant walked in.

"Last time I saw him that pissed," Griggs pointed his finger towards the door. "It didn't work out too well for the other guy."

"Could someone explain what just happened?" Abbie asked.

Julia sighed and rubbed a hand over her forehead and her hair. "Benson was seeing the Sergeant Major's daughter for a few years in New York. I guess the break up was pretty ugly and she lost her job over it."

"She ended up moving back home and Novak has had a problem with Benson ever since." Griggs said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Thing is that Benson was really messed up there for a while and I think it has a lot to do with the Novaks."

It was a new twist on her friends poor love life and now Abbie was starting to see a pattern to it.

"Liv has always had a tendency to date the wrong people." She said, thinking of when the detective was seeing her ADA. Though Abbie considered herself friends with both Liv and Alex, she firmly believed that Alex was at fault in their on again off again relationship.

"Liv's problems were her own," Colin said as he marched into the room, irritated as hell. He looked squarely at Julia, "I need you and Booth to put together the routing in and out of the court."

She got to her feet and walked out without a word. She knew Colin didn't like gossip, particularly about his friends and cursed herself for getting caught.

Griggs didn't even wait for an excuse, he just stuck a thumb over his shoulder and, "I'm going to finish getting that radio installed."

Colin waited for him to leave before he sat down on one of the cots. He cupped his hands while resting his arms on his knees, staring at the door.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

He nodded without looking at her, "Aye, just family troubles."

She looked at him with a soft understanding expression, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about." He said.

Abbie got up from her cot and sat down next to him, "It seems like there is."

He smiled and looked down into her eyes. It was a mistake and he knew it as soon as he looked into those deep pools of dark brown. His breath caught slightly, "it's their family, Abbie. You wouldn't want me prying into your family matters."

She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze because he was right, and despite wanting to stare up into his beautiful blue eyes forever, she had to turn away, though it was difficult. She turned her head to the side, blushing slightly.

"Your right." She said regretfully, "It's none of my business."

He moved to turn cup her cheek and turn her head towards him but caught his actions before he got halfway there. Instead he put a hand on her shoulder, "It's not exactly what I meant."

The hand on her shoulder was causing her body to go wild and she was having the hardest time breathing. She turned her head again to look at him and her eyes focused on his beautiful face, the roughness of his jaw that the coarse hair of his five o'clock shadow were coming in, the way his mouth hung partly open with just a thin gap between them, as if in invitation. An invitation that she wanted to accept because she was certain that he would taste as unique as he smelled. Hints of an aftershave that were gently climbing into her nose. Abbie didn't dare meet his eyes because she would lose the fight in her head.

That thought sobered her immediately and she lurched to her feet and put some distance between them. She sucked in a breath and turned to face him. SHe was going to tell him that she was a married woman and happily so. But she turned to see him at the door, his cheeks as red as hers felt as he hung out the door. "Booth, yer on duty."

The Irishman didn't even wait for the fed as he glanced over his shoulder at her and she could see her own troubled expression mirrored in his eyes.

She was married with children and he knew that as he disappeared from view.

Booth came in and blinked at her, "You okay? You look a little nervous."

She turned away and cleared her throat, "Yeah, just worried about my kids."

The fed nodded, "I hear you. My wife is pregnant and I'm kinda worried about her."

She turned back and smiled, "Comes with the territory, huh?"

He rolled his eyes and sat on the cot where Colin was previously. "Tell me about it," he groaned.

The partners came back fifteen minutes later. Both of them quiet, but with less tension.

"Tell me you didn't piss him off." Colin said angrily.

"I just straightened out his opinions about my sister." Jane said as she headed back to the room.

Colin looked at Kate as she pulled off her mask. "You want to tell me what happened?"

"It was a family matter." Kate said calmly. "Novak isn't angry or upset, but we did give him something to think about."

"Don't jeopardize my standing here, Kate." He snapped.

She blinked at his tone and frowned, "What just happened?"

He glared hard, "I don't need Novak copping an attitude over your relationship with Liv."

"Try again," she crossed her arms over her chest and glared hard, "What. Just. Happened. In here. While we were out there?"

He scowled at her and started to walk away but Kate caught him by the arm, "Colin?"

He took a deep calming breath and returned her stare, "I'm going on post for supplies. Stay low profile and do not let anyone in."

He walked to the door and left, leaving Kate standing there stunned.

"Oh shit." She breathed and started back to the office.


	23. Chapter 23

_**Hey there folks, I'm sorry that i haven't been posting but disaster struck my real life in threes. I've had no time to do anything and no inspiration to finalize things. I had a good bout for a brief period here but i'll be honest, not sure when i'm going to be able to return to this but i want to assure you that things will smooth out soon and hopefully i'll be back on this in a few weeks. Followers of Friend In Me, Disclosure and Discovery, I'll be back there soon too. Love all of you, please be patient with me.**_

 **Northbound I-95**

 **5 Miles south of Dumfries, VA.**

Traffic along I-95 was relatively thin in comparison to the typical Wednesday morning commute and the vehicles on the northbound freeway were moving along at 65 with ease. Something that was changing as they got closer to the Beltway. Construction of the I-95 Express lanes near Dumfries, Virginia was where traffic had begun to slow down. But as drivers slowed down the sight of the alternating flashing headlights of a giant black truck had them moving over. Several drivers stared as the heavy armored truck rolled passed them the only identifying feature were the words US Marshals stenciled onto the body in bright yellow paint.

"Oh I definitely want one of these for my birthday." Hill said as she drove passed the weigh station. "Look at how quickly they move over."

Colin snorted at her and spun the passenger seat around on its swivel. He watched as his friends made preparations for the next move. Ordinarily they'd have suited up before hitting the road, but with the longer drive they'd allowed the partners to put Abbie in her body armor en route.

"Okay." Kate said as Jane locked the tactical vest over the AUSA s ballistic vest, "Don't forget, you're a soldier and you have to act like one."

Abbie nodded as Jane held up her thin shooting gloves.

"Got it." Abbie shoved her hand in one and Jane strapped it for her. "Eyes on the crowd. Scan my sector."

"Right." Kate said.

Jane strapped on the second glove. "We'll be right there with you. Walk in the park."

"And if someone does get to you?" Abbie asked.

Jane moved in front of her so they were eye to eye. "Don't worry about me. It's my job to keep them looking at me and not you. You just focus on getting inside."

Jane turned and picked up her balaclava. As she turned to put it on Abbie's head the lawyer held her hand up.

"You're putting yourself in harm's way for me."

Jane smiled that one sided smile of hers. "Yeah, but you're making it safe for all our families. Thank you for doing what you do."

Abbie smiled. "It's not over yet."

"Hey, Double Mint twins." Booth interrupted. "Traffic is picking up and we don't want a cell phone picture of two Abbie's in a tank on twitter."

Jane shoved the mask over Abbie's head and adjusted it to fit. Kate put the Wiley X strap on sunglasses on her right before Booth handed over the black Kevlar helmet.

Jane checked her rifle, put it on safe, loaded it, and latched the short strap to the front of the tactical vest that Abbie was wearing, "Don't forget to rack it before getting out."

Kate strapped her helmet on and adjusted her own shades before strapping her weapon on.

Booth adjusted his vest under his jacket as Colin nodded. "Okay were twenty minutes out. DC Metro police is aware of our ETA and is clearing the road for us. I want a tight group from the truck to the bathroom. The order is... myself, Booth,Griggs, Kate, Abbie, Jane."

He looked at the Boston cop, "In the courtroom I want you on the wall near Abbie. Kate will take left of the door with Griggs on the right. I'll stand next to the jury."

"After today's testimony it'll be clear that he's losing." Abbie said to Colin as Kate strapped on the Kevlar helmet. "What if he wants a private meeting?"

"Then either the Judge's Chambers with Jane or conference room with myself and Jane." He said firmly. "No sense in taking chances." He donned his own balaclava and shades before strapping on his Kevlar helmet.

"I got word from one of my guys that the protesters and Media are numbering near 10,000." Booth said as he turned off his phone and pulled out the battery. "Its going to be a mess there. Someone is leaking the trial to the press and it is getting ugly."

"IS your guy nearby?" Colin asked the Fed.

"His whole team went in this morning, apparently his boss wants her technical analyst in and out." He replied and looked to the partners, "HE said he also has some new information on bracken and he'll update me when were in court."

"He doesn't want to put it over the air." Colin nodded, "You and Griggs can go while Abbie is in court, ten minutes and not more than fifty feet from the courtroom.

"Got it." The fed said, "It must be important what ever it is."

Colin nodded. "I hope it's good news for a change."

When they hit the beltway, MPD cars screamed off an on ramp and moved into escorting positions as they moved along to the courthouse. It didn't take long to turn onto Constitution.

"Going up on the curb." Hill called back. "I'll check for GPS trackers and I'll be monitoring you on Tac 3."

"Roger that." Colin looked over his crew. "Tac 3. Backup is Tac 7.

Everyone checked their radio's except Jane had to check hers while it was on Abbie.

"Thirty seconds." Hill called.

"Ready line." Colin said and stood up near the passenger rear door.

Booth rolled his seat back and drew his gun. The tension was high and you could feel the adrenalin in the air as hearts raced. The biggest threat was going in and coming out and if there was an attack on Abbie, that was when it was most likely to happen and everyone in the truck knew what the price of failure was. Abbie felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked to See Jane smirking at her and nodding, "Walk in the park."

"Here we go." Hill said and turned off the street and stopped the truck next to the trylon. Colin unlatched the door. "On you, Hill."

She looked at the crowd and flipped the switch that opened the rear passenger door. The hydraulics whined, pushing the heavy door away from the vehicle. "Go!"

Colin didn't wait for the door to open fully before he was on the ground in a kneeling prone, his weapon scanning the crowd. Booth dropped behind him, but kept his weapon down. Only he and Jane didn't have on the form fitting ski masks on to conceal their identities and everyone was supposed to think she was Abbie.

Griggs was next, falling to a kneel next to Colin. Kate and Abbie were standing as Jane brought up the rear, keeping her head down to make less of a target. Colin and Griggs rose to their feet as Booth and Jane moved into the group.

They kept it tight through the crowd of media and civilians. Abbie and Kate cleared the women's room again before they brought Jane in again. With Kate's help the clothing switch went quickly and they were back out in the hallway, heading for the courtroom.

"Abbie!" A male voice shouted. Jane turned her head and caught sight of a man in a suit rushing towards them. Kate and Griggs pushed Abbie up against the wall and drew their pistols, Colin aimed his rifle but waited for the two seconds it took Jane to throw the man to the floor. A second later he was zip-cuffed and flat on his stomach. There were some shouts of surprise from passersby at the explosive action from the security team. People rushed away as Court Marshals were running towards them.

"Abbie!" The man shouted. "Goddamn it, It's me."

"John?" They heard her ask from behind the wall of guards.

Colin shouted to Booth, "Courtroom, go!" Booth pushed her further away from Griffin.

"Booth. That's my husband." She protested as Kate added her hands to Abbie while Griggs pulled his pistol and drew on the occupants of the hallway.

"I know." Booth said firmly. "We can't secure the hall, go go go."

She struggled for a second, but Griggs voice got her moving. "Were divided, exposed, and vulnerable."

"Where are my boys, Abbie!?" John shouted from the floor. "Abbie, you tell me where my kids are right now!"

Booth pushed her down the hall. "Into the courtroom, Abbie!"

"I'm sorry!" She shouted before hustling to the courtroom.

Colin waited for them to be out of hearing range before he knelt next to the man on the floor and addressed him, "Your wife is prosecuting a dangerous case. Your children are in protective custody for their safety. She will contact you when it's safe to do so. Until then, you keep your distance."

He struggled and Jane knelt on him and put her gun to the back of his head.

"Get off me." He shouted angrily. "I'm DHS. Who the hell are you!?"

Jane pulled the star out of her pocket and held it in front of his face.

"We're the people telling you to stay away." Colin said firmly, focusing on keeping his Brogue in check. "If you try to contact AUSA Griffin again during this trial, I will detain you until the trial is over."

"You can't keep me from my wife!" John shouted in protest.

Court Marshals ran from the security check point and Colin looked at them as he stood up. "Detain him for ten minutes then escort him out and cut him loose."

The one in charge saw the star in Jane's hand, the Marshal label on their backs, and looked at his watch. He'd heard of the special security detail as well as the instructions from Marshal Winthrop to obey them. "Ten minutes."

He stood up and Jane holstered her weapon and pocketed the badge. They jogged up the hallway and entered the courtroom.

"I'm a special agent of Homeland security!" John shouted at them as they brought him to his feet, "Let me go!"

The marshal shook his head, "Sorry, sir but I have my orders." Two other marshals moved him towards the door.

* * *

Abbie was still in her ballistic cocoon and not happy. Ball was chuckling at them. Colin waved a hand for Jane to help her out of the armor as he stood next to her. Jane didn't hurry, it was necessary to show a longer time than it really took to keep up the switch scam.

"That was my husband." She said in irritation.

He spoke quietly but firmly. "For your own safety, you cannot stop in the hallway. You cannot take private meetings. You cannot hesitate when we move you. Your life depends on these conditions."

"Well I'm here." She snapped, "In the courtroom. You could have brought him in here."

He sighed as Jane pulled the attorney's ballistic vest apart, "He hasn't been cleared."

Abbie snarled at him. "He's my husband."

"Ma'am." He said firmly and openly, "I will be open to this discussion when you are safely returned to the safe house. Until then my orders are very specific and very clear, to the courtroom and back."

Before she could say anything else. He spun on his heel and marched to his post near the juror's box. He tugged at his baklava and adjusted his sunglasses. Abbie cursed silently as Jane picked up the heavy armor and set it where the judge could see it. Griggs and Kate moved to flank the door. She glanced at each of them garbed from head to toe in black combat gear, not a single piece of hair or skin was exposed on them and her thoughts fell to the battle on the freeway and she made a mental note to apologize to him later, to all of them.

The judge's marshal came out a few minutes later. "All rise."

* * *

Abbie smiled warmly at the young blonde woman sitting in the witness box in an effort to relieve some of the pressure the young girl faced. Her blue eyes darted to the senator and back to Abbie. Very pretty she was dressed in a lovely white satin blouse and a grey skirt that showed off her round bottom when she was standing. Her blue eyes were cool and intelligent but it was pretty obvious that she was nervous. She kept glancing to a thin black woman who was sitting several rows behind the plaintiff's table.

"Please state your name and position for the record." Abbie said softly.

"Audrey Patterson." She said and her voice was firm but a little timid, "I'm the head of Forensic Science for the Critical Incident Response Group based out of the New York City Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigations."

"That's quite a title." Abbie said, her eyebrows raised and a slight grin on her face, "what exactly does it mean?"

"It basically means that I'm in charge of the Science aspects of the CIRG and often work to solve forensic and scientific problems for the CIRG in New York. Often with hours or sometimes even minutes until disaster happens."

"Is forensic accounting part of the science you provide the CIRG?" Abby asked.

"It is. Not only do I personally perform such tasks, I have written several programs for the Department of Justice that do similar things such as the DEA's Cartel Affiliation Tracking and Cross-referencing Offender Network."

Abbie's eyes rose as she glanced at Booth, "You're the creator of CATCON?"

She nodded in a very humble manor, "I prefer author as opposed to creator. I wrote the program. I didn't create the system."

Abbie nodded, "Okay then, how did you get involved in this case?"

"I was directed by the lead agent in the to examine a super Political Action Committee fund that supported US Senator Bracken from New York in an electoral run at the office of the President of the United States. That order was approved by the deputy director Bethany Mayfair when it was discovered to be linked to an ongoing investigation we are currently working."

"As I under stand it a PAC isn't permitted to directly contribute to a candidate's campaign."

Patterson nodded, "That is correct, however PACs are used frequently for advertising and disseminating of a candidates name over all forms of social media or operating smear campaigns against opponents. Most contributions are anonymous. However as a candidate for election, if you do not have to worry about advertising, your campaign fund needs lower substantially. In addition, there are ways for a Super PAC to contribute directly to a campaign, though not legally. These transactions are masked as legitimate contributions and are difficult to trace when hidden properly, however I have uncovered many of these transactions in the Future Forward PAC."

"These anonymous transactions, How did you discover where they came from?"

"I was looking in to suspicious transactions in the Senator's finances when one account directly linked to Future Forward caught our attention in one of our ongoing investigations. My team went to the NYPD and we discovered an undercover operation about to take place. It was a fishing expedition by the NYPD to find a murderer. We replaced the undercover with our own operative who infiltrated posing as a courier. What we didn't know was that our courier was actually an assassin. Our operative had no trouble adjusting and was shortly introduced to Vulcan Simmons who was heading the narcotics operation and using the sales to fund Future Forward. After we collected enough evidence we stormed the mansion though Simmons did manage to escape."

"Who was the Operative?" Abbie asked.

"The Operative's name is classified due to our open case logs." Patterson said, "as is the names of the CIRG team that supported her. But what I can tell you is that actually seeing Vulcan Simmons on sight was a surprise to our operative. Initially Detective Beckett from the NYPD was going to go undercover. The operative who did go under said that would have been a mistake since Simmons knew exactly who she was."

"And where is Vulcan Simmons now?" Abbie asked.

"He was killed." Patterson said calmly. During our assault on the mansion, Mr Simmons attempted to kill our operative and she was forced to use deadly force."

Abbie nodded and went back to the table where she picked up a black book about the size of a pocket organizer. "Peoples Exhibit 72. Miss Patterson, do you recognize this."

Patterson looked at the book through the bag and nodded, "Yes I do. It was found on Vulcan Simmons body By the CIRG Team that lead the assault."

Have you examined it?" Abbie asked.

"Yes, I did." She replied.

"And what is it." She asked.

Patterson sat up and cleared her throat, "It's a listing of contacts and accounts. Fifty pages are filled with various shell companies, contact information for wanted international criminals, and secret offshore bank accounts."

"And have you identified who this book belongs to?"

"I've identified the author as the late assistant of Senator Bracken. A man named Timothy James."

"How does that tie to senator bracken besides of course the most obvious?" Abbie smiled. Here was the hammer that brought down a senator.

"Several of the accounts are still in use." She replied, "including the offshore account that we've identified as belonging to a Bogota based cartel in South America. That particular account has directly fed the Future Forward Super PAC."

Despite his best efforts, Ball was unable to shake up anything to shake loose Patterson's testimony. As well as the two agents who had been present when Simmons's body was examined. All in all it was a bad day for the senator, who's features had hardened during the day. Abbie was right, he'd realized he was on the loosing end of a case that would put him away for a long time and the Cabal was starting to look like they wouldn't be bailing him out either. He needed to risk making a deal and he glared hard at Tobias.

As Abbie started to pack up for the day, Ball left the defense table and approached her. The guard nearest her took four steps and pulled her pistol as the others moved in.

Booth stepped between Abbie and Ball.

"Well Abbie," he said holding up his hands. "interesting trial."

She glared at him over Booth's shoulder. "If you're looking for a plea, keep looking."

"My client wants to arrange a private meeting."

"Tell your client that's never going to happen." Booth said firmly.

Ball ignored him. "He'd like to discuss options to avoid further media coverage of an already erroneous situation. Just you and Mr. Bracken."

The large guard came up behind him and put a large gloved hand on Ball's shoulder.

"Step back, Sir." Colin's voice commanded. Toby did take a step back and Colin, completely concealed beneath his gear, glared through his goggles. "Should AUSA Griffin agree to any meeting, it will be under the guards of her protection detail in either the conference room or the Judge's chambers. There will be no private meetings period."

"Go tell the Senator that the only way he can end this is to change his plea to guilty on all counts." Abbie said loudly.

"In exchange for what?!" Ball snapped.

Abbie glared at him, "There's no deal on the table and their is never going to be. Your client is a traitor and I don't give deals to traitors, ever."

She looked at Jane, "I'm ready to leave for the day."

Colin moved Ball away from her as Jane holstered her weapon and retrieved Abbie's ballistic suit.


	24. Chapter 24

_**AN: Hi, folks. I know I was AWOL for a while now. Unfortunately, things haven't been going very well but their getting better again. Since I hadn't posted in a LONG while, I thought I should drop this one just to let you know that I haven't given up. a destroyed computer, weeks of attempting to recover the hard drive, then months of arguing and separating. It's been a wild ride this year. Good news is that I am wrapping up chapters for a few of my stories so I should be back online soon. Meanwhile, picking up right after Abbie tells Ball to go to hell on a deal. Enjoy.**_

* * *

 **US District Court of Washington D.C.**

"We have a problem." Griggs said to Colin as the women were in the restroom. "The Sergeant Major sent to us that the base is compromised."

Colin grimaced beneath his mask, "Can you confirm?"

"Through his own voice." Griggs said and handed him a phone.

Colin put it to his ear and listened to the voicemail. Novak had used the same training codes that Colin had developed for next year's training sessions.

"Well he's in it now." Colin breathed, "Command officers wanting to know why were on the base."

"Our Senator?" Griggs asked.

Colin nodded, "most likely. Good timing though. The GMC is ready."

"Well there's that." Griggs snorted. "At least we can hide her again."

"Yes but we might as well work this in our favor." He stepped away from the door towards Booth who was conversing with another FBI agent.

"We have an issue." Colin said quietly.

Booth excused himself from Weller and stepped back to the bathroom. "What's up?"

"We need a safe place to make a switch." He said, "I want the LAV to head back to A.P. Hill."

Booth caught on immediately, "without us in it. So decoy crew and an unsurveilled place to swap out."

Colin nodded. "Federal Property would be preferred."

Booth thought on it, "Quantico."

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Absolutely." Booth grinned, "the garage has cameras but there are several blind spots provided for black-site agents. I happen to know where there are a few."

Colin thought on it some more. "Griffin's husband was a problem today. Let's let her call him and hopefully alleviate some of his fears."

Booth agreed immediately, "That would get him to back off. Plus I can check to see if there's more on Bracken."

"Best do it now while everyone knows where we are before we vanish." Griggs said.

"I'll talk to Weller." Booth said, "he'll get us what we need."

"Go." Colin said and Booth went back to his Agent friend.

Once he was gone Griggs looked at Colin's masked face. "You could have arranged that on your own."

Nodding Colin watched as the women came out, "Yes, but I couldn't arrange a decoy for the LAV on such short notice. Besides, I wouldn't want our Fed to feel like he's not contributing."

He turned and looked directly at Jane who was now dressed as Abbie, "Mrs. Griffin, there's been a small complication with our travel arrangements. If you'll follow me, we'll move you to a conference room while it's being corrected."

Colin could see Abbie stiffen nervously beneath Jane's body armor, her hands tightened on Jane's weapon.

"What kind of complication?" Jane asked for her.

Colin moved her into her position, "the kind that we have contingencies for. It's a small matter and we'll have it cleared up shortly."

Jane made a small look of annoyance that was more Jane than Abbie but nodded as Griggs lead the way. Colin took up the rear but not before moving Abbie along and gripping her shoulder reassuringly. She felt that firm grip cause a chill down her spine followed by a heat wave that went right through her.

She pushed it down, trying to focus her attention on acting like a soldier and keeping her eyes on the people in the hallway.

A moment later they were sitting in a conference room that had a large table, several microphones (that Griggs had unplugged), and seven low backed office chairs.  
Kate helped Jane out of the ballistic coat and sat it aside while Abbie set the battle rifle on the table. She knew she couldn't uncover herself since there was a security camera mounted in the corner of the ceiling. Abbie sat down next to Jane so the positioning would look defensive with a guard on either side of the AUSA. In reality, the real Abbie was as far from the door as possible.

Colin took a knee between the nearly identical women so he could speak to Abbie while looking at Jane. Jane rested her fingertips against her temple with her gloved palm concealing her mouth while she leaned towards the big man so no one watching would know it was Abbie speaking.

A glare from Jane told Abbie to go ahead.

"What's going on?" She asked in a hushed voice.

"There is a minor problem at our destination." Colin said quietly, "we're just waiting it out for the moment."

"Was it an attack?" She asked thinking of the soldiers on the base. "Everyone okay?"

"No attack," He replied and put a hand on "Abbie's" shoulder, "Just a minor inconvenience that shouldn't take longer than an a hour to clear up."

He rose to his feet and moved to the far end on the room, near the door. True to his word, within and hour they were lead out of a side door and into the LAV.

* * *

Smiling to himself, John watched the huge armored transport pull out onto southwest D Street directly in front of him and immediately take the freeway ramp to I-395. Proud of himself for not getting caught, he put the Crown Vic in gear and followed the transport along the highway and out of the city. He didn't try to stay in sight of the giant behemoth, there was no need. The GPS device on the dashboard had a strong signal and all he had to do was follow the blue dot.

The truck pulled off the freeway at the Quantico Marine base where it disappeared inside the Military stronghold. John pulled the car off the freeway and into a hotel parking lot where he sat and stared at the dot. Twenty minutes later, his phone rang.  
"Griffin." He said absently into the phone.

 _"John."_ Abbie's voice said softly.

His attention turned entirely to her. "Where are my kids, Abbie?"

She sighed over the phone, _"I didn't have a choice John. I had to hide them."_

"Where!" He snapped.

 _"I can't tell you!"_ She barked back. _"I can't put them in danger."_

"You think I'd ever let something happen to them!?" John shouted and jabbed his finger out over the steering wheel as if she were in front of the car. "Jesus Christ! What kind of a father do you think I am?"

 _"A good one when your home."_ Abbie replied, _"But John, you can't be home all the time to protect them from this guy."_

"So you steal them away from me while I'm gone." John rubbed his free hand over his forehead, "Without even so much as a text saying anything about what was going on, you just up and leave, taking my kids with you."

 _"What are you talking about?! I left you a note on the fridge."_ She said defensively, _"This was the first time I could call you to tell you anything about what was happening and that was only because my detai—"_ She was cut off suddenly.

John glanced at the phone to see the call was still connected, she came back on a minute later, _"Are you still there?"_

"Where did you go?" He asked.

He heard her sigh, _"I was being reminded about things I can't talk about. Look, I'm calling because I wanted you to know that I'm okay."_

"How are the boys?" He growled.

 _"Their fine."_ She replied, _"They miss us but their having fun."_

"You pulled them out of school." John said as he checked his watch.

 _"Yeah, but I took three months worth of curriculum."_ Abbie said firmly, _"I'm not going to let them fall behind. They have a good teacher who's taking care of everything."_

John paused, the mental landscape he was looking at started to change. "Your not leaving?"

 _"Look, I know we've been having a hard time but I married you for better or worse, John."_ She reassured, _"Yes, we've been fighting but I hid them away because of the case, not because of us."_

"Because of this guy, this senator." He repeated, "That's why you disappeared and took my kids?!"

 _"Yes,"_ She replied exasperated, _"Because he has some really dangerous friends that will not hesitate to kill me or our sons the moment one of us is visible."_

 _Like Ella Poe._ "Damn it, Abbie." John cursed, "You should have told me that you were taking on a case like this. I could have arranged safe-houses, DHS Security details—"

 _"John stop."_ She shouted, _"I'm safe as I can get and so are the boys…"_ her voice trailed off, _"Are you sure…"_

John stopped as she heard another voice, male. The man who had ordered him away from his wife.

 _"Mrs. Griffin. We have to go right now."_

He heard Abbie sigh, _"Okay. John, I have to go now."_

"Abbie," he said and watched as the blip on the GPS started moving again. "I think the boys should come with me until this is over."

 _"They're safe where they are."_ She said quickly, _"No one would dare try to att—"_

The line went dead but John could easily finish that sentence. _"No one would dare try to attack them."_

He quickly dialed Acevedo and got the voicemail. He sent a text to his partner.

 **Abort. Target suspect rock solid. RTB.**

He didn't get farther into his attempt to recall his team before the armored truck rolled out of the main gate. John put the car in gear and began to follow it out when he realized that the GPS wasn't moving too. He blinked as he pulled out onto the freeway and the blue dot began moving. It left Quantico and headed in the opposite way.

"Shit!" he shouted as he realized that Abbie's team had traced his call. They must know that he was outside or they wouldn't have changed up their vehicles. HE grumbled to himself as he followed the transport along the freeway. The truck was probably heading back to Fort A.P. Hill while Abbie was off to somewhere else.  
 _But they haven't found the tracker!_

John smiled as he continued to follow the big truck. "They don't know about the chip." He chuckled to himself as he realized he still had a chance. He just needed to follow the truck so he didn't tip them off. John grinned again at his ingenuity.

* * *

 **Building 283**  
 **Ft. Justice. IL.**

 _Olivia lay dreaming of a woman with beautiful crimson red hair, lips that were so full they pouted on their own and eyes that were hypnotically green. Dressed in a brilliant green strapless dress, she was gorgeous as she stepped out of the four inch heels that had her towering over the brunette._

 _She found herself inside her lavender dress that had cost her a small fortune as Casey walked towards her with a predatory lope and a hungry gaze. She felt her heart beat soaring as Casey unzipped the back of her dress and allowed it to pool at her feet. Breathing became difficult at the sight of her love standing in nothing but the black strapless bra and matching thong._

 _Liv's body felt like it was on fire and her lips ached to kiss the woman she loved above all others but just as Casey was about to close the distance her hand clasped over Liv's mouth. The look in those green eyes changed from heated to malicious as Casey's hair darkened from a deep crimson to a dark auburn and Liv tried to breathe as she was pushed against the wall and the hand attached to the redhead continued to cut off her air. She tried to get her arms to move but they refused to respond, she tried to struggle but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move and the slender hand over her nose and mouth was cutting off all air, suffocating her. And as Liv looked into those green eyes, wanting to know why Casey would want to kill her, she realized her mistake_

 _It wasn't Casey who held her immobile, it wasn't Casey who was suffocating her, It wasn't Casey who was killing her…_

 _…It was Amelia._

Liv jerked hard in bed as she came awake in a panic. The hand over her mouth didn't let up and she struggled against someone. Knowing that every second was critical, Liv calmed herself for the second she needed to gauge her situation.

"Lieutenant." A man with a deep voice whispered, "You're in danger. Calm down and I'll move my hand."

She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and focused in the darkness as a large man with white hair smiled down at her.

"Better." He said and held up a shot gun with his other hand and laid it down next to her. "This is yours. Load it. Bad men are coming to take the Griffins. They've breached the fence and are only minutes away."

He removed the hand from her mouth and stood up straight. Tossing the box of ammo Liv kept nearby onto the bed. She spun around and snatched her Glock from under her pillow.

His hand lashed out and in a single move, the magazine fell out of the pistol and the slide was in his hand.

"We don't have time for this." He said and tossed the slide down on the bed as he walked out of the loft.

She blinked as she realized the man was exceptionally well trained. If he'd wanted everyone here dead, they would be.

She quickly moved to Colin's dresser and retrieved his Springfield 1911, abandoning the pieces of her Glock on the bed. She also snatched up the shotgun and the box of ammo. She stuck the Springfield into the waistband of her boxer shorts and loaded the shotgun as she descended the stairs. The first room she came across was Maura and Angela's room, Rick was up and had a gun out as he moved them out towards the kitchen.

"He get you up?" He asked quietly as the man rushed the three boys out of their room and back along the kitchen wall.

"Who is he?" She asked Rick.

"He's my father." The writer said as Kieran came away from the hangar door.

"The way is cut off," he said with the Night Vision goggles on his head. "I count six."

"Ten," Jackson said as he moved Maura, Alexis, and Dani behind the bar. "They cut the phone lines and they have a scrambler so cell phones are out."

Olivia turned the shotgun on him, "Who are you?"

"The one that turned an ambush into a fight for survival." He said and glared, "Do I have to take that apart too?"

She took a step away from him, "Maura, get everyone down behind the bar."  
The Doctor gathered the boys with her and pulled Alexis and Dani down too, "What's going on? Who is that?"

"Rick said it's his dad," She said as she pulled open a cabinet beneath the bar. She pulled out four small square shaped green bags and tossed them to Maura. "You make sure you get one of these."

Before Maura could even open one, Liv was already opening the gun cage. She pulled out an M-4 Carbine and several battle magazines, "Kieran, can you use this?"

"Aye." He said and took it from her, He racked it and checked the bolt, "Semi, or rapid fire."

"Three round," she said and handed him a few 30 round battle magazines.

"Give me one." Rick said as he came up to her.

She glared but complied. "Can you use this?"

He took the magazine and slapped it in place, "Where do you want me?"

"Near the stairs," She said, Anyone comes through the window or gets passed me, you lite em up."

Rick nodded, took two more clips, and went back to the stairs where he took up a position far enough away from the children without letting anyone passed him.  
Kieran moved to the weight bench and set up there. Liv pumped her shotgun and readied herself for a fight. She looked back to Rick's father only to find him missing.

"Where did he go?" She gasped.

"Out the window." Maura said as she yanked open a bag and pulled out a rubber and vinyl object, "He took something out of the cage and went out the window."  
"Rick?" she asked.

"Trust me." He said, "He's out there making those guys wish they were dead."

An explosion caught their attention and Liv took a deep breath to steel herself, "For my family…" She breathed.

* * *

Jake Acevedo had received John Griffin's text and smiled as he deleted it. Griffin thought he called the shots but he wasn't their Mistress. Tonight, Griffin would get that message loud and clear. Once their team was on a one-way trip back to Arboles.  
They had dressed in their tactical gear the same as they would have for any other task. Except this time they had forgone the Homeland security badging that velcroed into place among their gear. Tonight, they didn't want to be identified.

"Only one door for entry, three windows on either side, none on the back. We're not sure exactly what's inside so soft entry. Remember, we're here for the three Griffin kids. Everyone else is expendable." Acevedo racked his weapon. "Kruger, Daniels, Move along the left. Kelsey, and Simmons, Move right. Easley, Banner take the back. Kent and I will take the front with Hawley, and Poncho, bringing up our rear. Second squad is also in reserve so keep it nice and tight."

They all nodded before lowering and locking their NVG scopes in place on their tactical helmets.

"Remember," Acevedo said, "The three boys are what the Mistress needs. The rest are witnesses. Take 'em out."

The group broke up and moved around the small woodland area that surrounded the sole hangar on the far side of the old airstrip. Acevedo and Kent were moving forward when the grenade went off to their right.

Jake watched as Kruger was thrown back ten feet and smashed into a tree. He landed in a heap at the base of the trunk.

"Shit, Count off." He said into the microphone.

Easley reported in but Banner didn't.

"Check your six." Jake said.

There was a pop from the woods and Kent dropped face first into the ground. Jake rolled him over and saw the neat hole that went through his forehead right in between the NVG and the visor of the compact battle helmet. The hole was perfectly round with blood trickling down along his friend's face. Jake leveled his rifle and scanned the area for heat as he continued to move forwards, Hawley and Poncho, right there on either side of him.

 _"Someone's out here with us."_ Daniels said over the radio.

"Take that building hard!" Jake ordered, "Converge, move, move, move!"

A silhouette appeared in the small doorway of the big hangar door and opened up on them in three round bursts. Hawley let loose a few rounds and the figure backed up a second before he opened up on them again.

"Bang 'em." Jake said and Poncho jerked a flash bang out of his vest as the other two opened up to cover him. The big Mexican jerked the pin out and flung the can straight and true to the door. It went off and the man fell back.

Another gun appeared near the side window and went wild at Daniels. Acevedo pushed on towards the door and forced the man back with more fire on the door. They took position for entry. Hawley nodded and kicked open the door. Poncho threw another flash bang inside. Acevedo followed with a pair of teargas grenades. They waited for the flash-bang and then moved in.

They expected to find confused people coughing and gagging on the tear gas, disoriented from the flash bang enough to be stuck. But as the three of them entered they hadn't expected to see anyone on their feet. Certainly not a muscular woman in a tank top and shorts brandishing a Mossberg. The string that ran out of one ear and into the other quickly clued Acevedo in that she'd been ready for the flash-bang, but without a mask the gas should have affected her. She merely sniffed slightly as she blew Hawley away. Acevedo dove to the left as She pumped the shot gun and blasted Poncho before he could get his gun on her.

She pumped the gun again and leveled it straight at him. Acevedo straightened, dropped his rifle and rose to his knees with his hands up, through his gas mask he shouted, "I give up!"

"You came for my family," She said coldly, "you don't get to give up."

Acevedo felt real dread for the first time as he grabbed at his pistol. Liv pulled the trigger.

As she lowered her shot gun, a hand lurched out of the dark and grabbed the weapon. Liv fought for a second until she recognized the tall, imposing figure that had awoken her. He wore a gas mask that he'd taken from one of the others and he patted her shoulder.

"I took care of things outside." His muffled voice said. "It's all clear so you can open the doors and get some air in here."

She took a deep breath and moved to the main door where she pressed the button that parted the large doors. She also switched on the lights and activated the exhaust fans in the ceiling. Originally designed to help empty the air of Carbon Monoxide exhaust from a plane, they were now used to blow hot air out of the hangar in the summer time.

As the mercury lights heated up and the smoke started to clear, Liv saw the mess she'd made of the three intruders. She dropped the Mossberg on the floor and rushed into one of the rooms where she collected blankets and ran out into the garage area to cover the bodies before one of the kids saw them.

She heard the gagging as she tugged the string from the earbuds she'd put in before the attack. She heard the typical signs of Tear gas exposure coming from the kitchen and she moved straight there to check on everyone.

Alexis and Jeremy were gagging on the floor as was Rick, snot pouring from their noses like shoe strings, and tears that were running down their faces.

Maura sat with her back to the bar, holding Dani and the two youngest to her, all four of them wore the military gas masks that Liv had thrown to them. Angela was retching in the sink.

Liv pulled out a role of paper towel and blew her nose before crouching next to the doctor and the children."Are you alright."

Maura, wide eyed behind the face shield, nodded.

Jason looked at the cop, "How can you breathe?"

She smiled down at him, "Trade secrets."

Maura patted the young man's head, "Some people can develop an immunity to CS Gas through repeated exposure but I suspect Lieutenant Benson is one of the few people who is naturally immune."

Liv blew her nose again and breathed in, "Mostly, but don't let that fool you. I'll be tearing up Kleenex boxes for a week."

As Liv opened the sink cabinet she pulled several rolls of paper towel out and passed them out to those who didn't have masks on and then looked over at the mystery man who'd woken her up.

"Explanation time." She said harshly to him. "Who are you and why are you here?"

He merely smiled knowingly as he helped Rick up to his feet. "This place is compromised."

He stuck a hand in his pocket and came out with a slip of paper. "This is an address for a rendezvous, call the number on a burner phone before you leave the base."

Liv frowned, "Do I have to get my stun-gun?"

"You can do what ever you want, Lieutenant, but your highest priority should be to get these kids far away from here in a hurry." He pointed a finger behind him to the door, "Those guys aren't just mercenaries, their also DHS agents and if the police get here before I get this place cleaned up, your all going to federal lockup in Terre Haute until they get it figured out. Which by the way would be a very bad idea since the people who sent them can get you a lot easier in there."

She took the paper and blinked at the address, "Gladstone, Michigan?"

"Dr. Brennan is already waiting on your call." He said as he started searching through the bad guy's clothing and came up with a set of car keys.

At the name, Maura stood up from behind the bar with some help from the two younger Griffins. "Dr. Brennan said that when she disappears, no one would be able to find them."

"Her father Max is very good at hiding.," the elder Castle smirked in a very Richard Castle way, "It took me over a week to find them. Call the number, Dr. Rizzoli. You and Dr. Brennan can challenge each other's identities until your convinced."

He turned and walked out of the hangar into the night. "Don't take that van outside. Get another car."

"He's really your father," Liv asked Rick.

"Yeah," he coughed, "He's also a spy."

"And we can trust him?" She challenged.

Castle remembered what he and his father had done in Paris to find Alexis. "With our lives."

"Kieran!" She snapped loudly, "Hack that stuff up and find us a pair of trucks. We're leaving."

Kieran grabbed the two long lines of snot that poured from his nose and coughed an acknowledgment before he too disappeared.

Within twenty minutes, they were packed up into Julia Hill's Ford Freestar heading north but not before Liv had called the number on a burn phone and Maura confirmed that Brennan was on the other end. The three Griffins, Alexis, and Dani were in back with Liv driving and Maura riding in the passenger seat. Behind them was Kieran and Castle, following in an old beat up looking Cherokee Sport.

"I wonder how pissed Griggs is going to be when he finds out we took his Jeep." Liv chuckled.

"I'd be more worried about Aunt Jules." Dani said as she stuck her head out front, "This thing is a lease and she's been trying to keep the mileage down."

"Sit back and put your seat belt on." Liv said quickly. "Last thing we need is to get pulled over."

Dani huffed and leaned back in her seat looking over at Alexis. "Some night."

The redhead was breathing hard as she turned to face the young blond, "I've had worse." She replied.

Dani couldn't see the haunted expression in the redhead's eyes, but Maura heard it and put her hand behind her seat where Alexis could reach. Alexis grabbed the hand and held on tight.

* * *

 _ **Bet you thought this was going to be a lame one huh?**_


	25. Chapter 25

_**A/N: This chapter has the Raven in it, and she's far more psychotic than she's been previously… which should tell you how bad she'll be here. Fair warning, it's not pretty.**_

* * *

 **Baltimore, MD**

Abbie watched from the backseat as Julia drove through downtown Baltimore. The area they were in wasn't the greatest but within a few minutes they pulled up on a building that was surrounded by chain link fencing.

"Right over there." Colin said as he pointed to a gate that lead to underground parking. "Pull up and leave the lights on."

Julia nodded and complied as Colin put a white hard hat on his head and an orange safety vest that held a construction company logo on it that matched the one on the fence.

He looked around carefully before climbing out of the black Suburban that they'd just gotten back at Quantico. Colin pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and unlocked the gate before swinging it wide.  
Julia pulled in to the lot and Colin resecured the gate before climbing back in to the truck. Both Jane and Kate had their weapons up, ready for anything, while Julia drove into the parking garage. There were several work trucks of various uses parked there already.

"Near the elevator?" Julia asked.

"That should be good." Colin agreed, "but back it in."

"Isn't this a risk?" Booth asked, "I mean, this looks like a very serious work zone here."

"Not really," Colin said as Hill shut of the truck, "The investor in this building got caught doing something naughty so the contractor stopped the job until its straightened out."

They climbed out of the truck and the first thing Colin did was open the back doors and pull two door magnets out and stick them on the sides of the truck. Proclaiming it the property of Bartlett Security Solutions.

"Grab the cases and let's get them into the elevator." He said as he handed Hill a work order to stick on the dashboard.

He turned around in time to see Abbie carrying one of the boxes with Jane right behind her. Over the last few weeks he'd been incredibly impressed with the lawyer who looked so much like his friend. She'd never once failed to jump in when things needed to get done. She never complained about her situation or that she'd been moved around like a paperweight. She faced the very real possibility that she could be killed with a strength and determination that rivaled the partners and never flinched.

The only thing she'd mentioned that could be a complaint was having to wear the graphene armor all the time from the time they left the mining warehouse. But even so she bore it without fail.

Again as he let his mind drift to their few conversations, he found an intelligent woman who didn't take crap and didn't give in to fear. She was both beautiful and brilliant. More often than not Colin had found himself watching her in the courtroom instead of watching for threats. As she moved, he'd remembered how perfectly she fit into his arms when he fitted her with the body armor.

Colin pushed his thoughts down as he joined the others in the elevator and rode up to the top floor. Quickly Jane and Kate cleared the floor and reported that there was no one around.

"There are three private bathrooms with showers in the north end offices." Kate said quickly. "Looks like they're for the top people here."

"Ladies, set up in the north east office." Colin said and looked straight at Abbie, "You have the best facilities I have to offer."

He turned to booth and Griggs, "We're in the Northwest office so let's get the gear moved and get the beds set up."

Julia and Griggs stayed behind and started moving the boxes out of the elevator. Each of the women grabbed a case and headed off.

Booth grabbed one as did Colin before they headed to the northwest office.

"So what's the deal on this place?" The fed asked.

"Initially a foreign Security firm was going to set up here but they got flagged by the NSA on some terrorist activities so the Government pulled their permits." Colin looked over at Booth "It's not public yet but This is going to be the head office for Springfield's overseas sales as well as their accounting office."

Colin's burner phone rang loudly and he grimaced as he pulled it out of his pocket and checked the ID. He frowned as he answered.

"Aye." He said and listened to who ever was on the other end. He listened from long moment. "Everyone okay?"

Another long moment before he glanced around and looked at Booth, "Yer Father in law." Colin said quietly, "Can he be trusted?"

Booth pinched his eyebrows, "With what?"

Colin glanced over his shoulder at the elevator to locate his friends, "Their families?"

He narrowed his eyes at Booth, "Can he be trusted."

Booth nodded, "I trust him with my wife and children.'

Colin went back to the phone, "Get it cleared and go to code red."

He disconnected before pulling the battery out of his phone and smashing it on the floor.

"Jane, Kate!" He shouted. "Get those cases back in the truck."

"What's up?" Kate asked.

"This site is compromised." He said to her, "Get her back in the truck."

Jane brought her rifle to bare and lead the AUSA back into the suburban with Kate right behind them. Griggs and Julia ran for the cases and hauled them back into the suburban with all the efficiency of a well trained unit.

"What's going on?" Abbie asked Colin as he climbed into the armored vehicle.

"Fort Justice is where I've been keeping your families." He turned back to look at them, "It was just attacked."

 **Somewhere over Florida...**

"We may have a problem with Blackbird."

Ravenna opened her eyes and glared hard at the only other passenger of the small Learjet. "Probably not the best way to open a conversation." She replied coldly.

Ignoring her veiled threat, Mango continued, "They haven't reported in and i can't get Acevedo to answer his phone… or any other member of the team."

Ravenna straightened up in her seat and touched her fingers to her forehead in thought. "Griffin was the one who came up with the location wasn't he?"

"Yeah," Mango replied, "Acevedo said that Griffin came up with two names that matched up. O'Malley and Rizzoli."

Ravenna's head snapped up and her eyes narrowed. "Jane Rizzoli?"

Mango saw the look on her face and stopped breathing, apparently his Mistress wasn't fond of the name. "Yes Mistress, AUSA Griffin went to see her a few weeks prior to the arrest of the good Senator."

It wasn't very often that Mango worried about being killed for being the bearer of bad news, but the look on her face had Mango wishing that he had someone to throw in front of himself.

Ravenna wasn't capable of any feeling or emotion, she was simply "Death Incarnate" and for her to get a look as cold as the one she had now usually meant someone was going to die, very painfully.

Ravenna unbuckled her seatbelt right before she stood up in the plane.

"Abigail Griffin met with Jane Rizzoli prior to her bringing charges against William Bracken, that means that she also spoke with Kate Beckett." Her calm voice belied the hatred on her face, "Did it ever occurs to _anyone_ that Beckett and Rizzoli are most likely two of the four guards protecting her from her untimely demise?"

She walked past where Mango was sitting and jerked the cockpit screen open, "Change of plans, head to Washington."

"Yes Mistress." The pilot replied.

She turned her sights back onto Mango as she moved to sit again. "Get Romeo on the phone, right now. Tell him we're going to pay a visit to John Griffin."

Mango nodded as he immediately started dialing.

 **Rapid River, MI**

"I don't understand," Maura said as Liv opened the hard shelled case that she'd retrieved from the back of the Jeep. "Why are you leaving? What's happened?"

"I don't know, Maura." Liv said as she yanked off her coat and slid a bullet proof vest over her head.  
"What I do know is that when i reported in on the attack, he said to get you and the boys as far from Springfield as I can. Booth says that you are safer here with Max than anyone else he knows. Meanwhile, their in danger and I'm going to help."

Kieran walked in as Liv yanked a tactical vest out of the case. He set her shotgun down on the bed.

"Has anyone been hurt?" Maura asked.

"Not that he mentioned." Liv replied. "I'll know soon enough."

Maura crossed her arms over her chest, "I know that your doing what you think is right, but Liv, can you go back into that again?"

Picking up her shotgun, Liv tucked it into a long duffel bag and added a box of ammunition to it before looking up at Maura, "It's my family. I should have never sat this out."

Maura closed her eyes and tried to think on what she was about to do. "Take Kieran with you."

Liv jerked, "Absolutely not!" She replied before looking at the Irishman, "You need to stay here and protect her and these children."

"She will'na let me." He replied.

"Kieran." She said menacingly.

"He's going with you." Maura said firmly, "If their in trouble, then there is no way I'm going to let you walk into that alone. Kieran will watch your back."

"I said no." Liv barked, "I am not leaving you and these children unprotected."

"You're not." Maura replied, "Rick is here and—"

"He's a writer, Maura!" Liv shouted. "He's a crack shot and a good detective but he's not a cop!"

"And if you don't stop arguing with me and get going. Then he and Max will come back from the store before you leave," Maura replied calmly, "You know he will insist on coming with you."

And that was something that could not happen.

Liv eyed Kieran again, "You should stay with her. You know that."

Kieran nodded his head, "Aye, I know Jane will be right pissed at me but you need a good man at yer back and Maura be safe here. It be Jane who be needin' the help now."

Liv grumbled as she slammed the case shut and picked up the duffel she'd loaded. "How long into you can get a bag together?"

"A vest would be nice but aside from that," He shrugged, "I be packed already and me bag be in the car."

 _So much for leaving him behind while he's packing._ "Then let's go." Liv huffed as she stormed out of the bedroom and out to the jeep.

 **Alexandria, VA.**

"Jesus Christ, Jake. Where the hell are you?" He growled before hanging up his phone and getting out of the car.

Frustrated, he'd managed to track down the building in Baltimore where his wife had been hiding but no sooner had he arrived, they'd pulled out in a hurry and headed away from the city. He'd followed them until they got off the freeway on a two lane country road that would have revealed his presence. So he'd been forced to fall back and rely on the tracer.

When the signal finally came to a stop, he drove as close as he'd dare to find them at an old warehouse just outside Hanover, Pennsylvania. One look told him that there was no easy way to get her away frown them so he'd been forced to back away. His children hadn't been stolen and she'd been insistent that she'd left a note at home so he'd decided to back off for now and go back to the house to search for it. Sighing he just wanted his sons back and in all honesty, at this point he'd happily go back to Border Patrol if it meant that he wouldn't suffer Ella Poe anymore. But that wasn't going to happen and John knew it.

He went to the mailbox and pulled out the stack of envelopes that had grown to overflowing before carrying them into the house where his wife had been raising their children.

 _Goddamn it Abbie._ He thought, _I should have been here._

One mistake, that was what had sent him down the path that had landed him squarely into the clutches of a rogue agent. John cursed Ella Poe and the trap she'd set for him.

John shoved his key in the lock and went inside the house. He flipped through the envelopes and dumped them on the table where several of them fell on the floor. Cursing, John bent over to pick them up and found a fridge magnet on the floor. It was the one they never use because it was so weak. He glanced around the floor and saw a single piece of paper on the floor beneath the table. John picked it up and realized that it was the note Abbie had said she'd left him.

 _John,_  
 _I now this is going to make you mad, but the kids and I aren't coming home. It's not because of us, it's because I'm working a really important case and it's a bad one. I sent the boys away with some friends where they'll be safe until it's over. I can't tell you where right now, but I promise they'll be safe. I'm in a safe house for now and I want you to be careful since they could come after you, too. Keep your gun loaded. Hopefully when the case is done, you and I can talk about this. I know that we haven't been the best to each other lately, but I love you and I want to work it out. I'll be thinking of you while I'm gone and more than anything I wish I could see you, but until the FBI finish their threat assessment, I have to stay hidden, even from you. The Agent in Charge said that's protocol._  
 _When I can I'll call you and let you know what's going on and we can make arrangements to see the boys._  
 _I love you, hubby. You and no other._  
 _Abbie_

John leaned back against the kitchen counter. And sighed as he realized what a fool he'd been. Abbie hadn't just ran off with her kids in the middle of the night. Then and now, she was still trying to make their marriage work.

"When this is over—" his thought was cut off by a moan from his bedroom.  
John blinked in surprise as he set the letter down and walked quietly towards the back of the house.  
As he got closer to his bedroom, he heard a voice moaning in pleasure, a moan he knew intimately.

He gently pushed open the bedroom door to see Kim, stark naked, masturbating in his bed. The bed he shared with his wife.

"Ohh," she moaned loudly and looked deeper into the bedroom, her eyes glassy and her words were heavily slured, "I fuck yyour husband, every channnce I can, Abbie. I love it when he comes over angry at you because he fucks me soooo hard. When he comes home, I'm going to fuck him on your bed, and on your table, I'm going to come in every room of your house, like you never have."

He opened the door all the way to see a large blond Latino with a camcorder, laughing silently as he recorded Kim pleasures herself again.

"What the fuck!" He shouted and grabbed for his gun. A slender hand reached around from behind him and held a sharp knife to his groin.

"Move and I'll castrate you right here." came that cold voice.

John froze because he knew that the woman meant every word.

"Ella." He said unhappily.

"Mango." She said.

The man turned the camera off ad set it down on the dresser before pulling out a straight razor from his back pocket. He moved to one side of the bed where Kim continued on as if she didn't have a clue what was going on around her.

He held the razor tightly, the sick grin on his face said clearly he was just waiting for her approval before using it on Kim.

Barely seeing his hips ear her, Kim's glassy eyes focused on the bulge in the front of the jeans and she reached to fondle him through his jeans.

"Kim!" John shouted.

She paused briefly to look around the room in drug filled confusion until she finally saw him. Her face lit in recognition, "OH baby, I've been waiting for you. Come on, put it in me."

John glared at Ella as she stepped away from him, "What did you do to her?!"

Ella merely smiled at him as she picked up the camera, "I called her up and said that I needed a prosecutor for the biggest case in history, one that would make Abbie look like a pro bono court appointed defense attorney."

Knowing how much Kim hated Abbie, that would definitely get his mistress out of her office and anywhere the twisted ICE agent wanted.

"While we were having drinks, I fed her Rohypnol and then a little sodium pentothal." Ella walked over to Kim and cupped her right in front of him, Kim writhed on the bed. "I'd expected her to become compliant and uninhibited but I had no idea what a little sex pot she was."

Ella laughed, "She fingered me twice in the car on the way here and damn near blew Mango when he threw her into the bed."

She let go of Kim and held up the camera, "I knew she hated your wife so we made a little video about it."

"You fucking Bitch," John growled as he jerked his gun out of the holster and leveled it at her. "I swear to Christ, I'll blow your fucking head off!"

Ella straightened and lifted the camcorder, "I drugged her so she wouldn't remember making this tape, however if you'd rather i killed her, I'll start by letting Mango cut off her pretty little titties."

Mango moved the razor to Kim's breast and grinned as he draped the back edge over her nipple.  
John heard Kim whimper in pleasure, still unaware of the danger she was in. John hesitated but lowered his gun.

"Good boy." Ella said and pulled a phone out of her pocket. "This phone has a series of locations where your wife may be hiding. Stop her, by any means necessary. Don't bother with your team, they all work for me anyway."

John's eyes widened at that statement.

"That's right." She grinned at him, "I have your children, John. I know all about Jane Rizzoli, Katherine Beckett, Olivia Benson and Colin O'Malley protecting her while she tries this case. If you value your kids' continued health, you'll end the case against Senator Bracken. If you warn her, all three of them will die horribly broken. As will Rizzoli's wife, Beckett's step daughter and everyone else inside that hangar. Don't fail me, John."

He stared at her with murder in his eyes, something that made her smile.

"And if I succeed?"

"Then you, your sweet little piece of ass and your children will be reunited, unless you die." She held up the Camera again, "In which case, I'll use this video to convince Kimberly of the wisdoms of raising your children for you."

She set the camera down on the night stand and nodded to Mango. He moved the blade to Kim's throat but made no move to cut her.

Ella walked over to him and relieved him of his gun and set it on the dresser.

"Let's not make a liar out of Kim here." She said and stuck him in the thigh with a hypodermic needle.

John pushed her away from him but felt his pulse start running, "What the hell was that?"

She smiled at him with an evil grin, "A little cocktail my chemists made to release inhibitions and make you hard as a rock, not exactly Rohypnol because you'll remember everything in vivid detail. If Greylek could remember the next few hours, she'd thank me for what your about to do to her."

Her smile faded as his skin heated to molten, "Take off your clothes, John."

He felt his hands move to his belt and tried to stop himself. He thought he'd had until his pants and underwear fell to the floor, his shirts joined them in a pile. It was like being outside of his body. He had no control, he couldn't feel anything but he could see it all clearly as he stripped naked.

Ella turned on the camera as Mango moved away from the bed, "Now go fuck your woman, John. Fuck her like the whore she is."

He couldn't stop himself as he climbed into bed,

Ella's voice was like a whisper in his ear, "Do you know what I said to get her to come to me?"

John couldn't even respond as Kim wrapped her arms and legs around him.

Ella's voice seemed all around him as she moved closer with the camera focused on where his body joined Kim's.

"I told her that I know who the Raven is, John. Then when she started to feel my drugs, I told her the truth."

John's mind went cold with dread as he began to thrust against Kim.

"I… am… the Raven." She laughed.

John's mind twisted at the revelation, even as his body released itself.


	26. Chapter 26

The Kingmaker bellowed loudly and threw the glass across the room. Sailing directly into the old stone fireplace, it shattered and spilled the expensive cognac in a spray. The Fire whooshed as the flames spread wildly briefly boosted by the alcohol.

"Something wrong?" His son asked.

The kingmaker glared at him, "The Director wants to know if I need help on the Bracken trial!"

Moss stared at him, "Well that's not good. You think he's going to retire you."

"No shit!" He bellowed again, "I'm not going to die painfully in some mysterious accident. I'll go the same way my father did. Peacefully, by my son's hand when I'm ready."

He'd actually already picked the poison that he'd introduce to his father. It was both euphoric, quick, and untraceable. Though the Kingmaker was still a few years away from needing it, Moss was planning it a little earlier. After the Holidays next year, his father would slip into sleep and pass quietly with his family and friends near allowing a grand funeral for him and also allowing Moss to take his place in the Cabal. The earlier time table was to show the Director that Moss wasn't a mindless supplicant to his father. He made his own choices and though he often agreed with the Kingmaker, he also wasn't afraid to disagree. Bracken, unfortunately, was a shared mistake.

Thinking over their plight, Moss sat in silent contemplation as his father paced the room.

"The easiest way to end the trial is to take out Bracken." Moss said finally, "Unfortunately, that will bring that woman to our door."

The Kingmaker shook his head, "I'm not afraid of some psychotic drug queen. I worry about what that fool Bracken told her about us."

An idea formed in Moss's mind, one that could expedite matters and leave the Raven with a dead end. In addition, this would greatly aide the Cabal in their own problem. A few of their members had been taken out recently by Raymond Reddington. If The Kingmaker made a new deal with her, then died within a few months at the hands of Reddington…

"Perhaps something different would solve our dilemma and the Cabal's as well."

As Moss laid out his plan, the Kingmaker nodded with a grin, "That my boy, is a plan. Bracken dies washing away my poor choices, I get exonerated with the Cabal and die with dignity, you rise out of my shadow your own man, and we put that monster on Reddington's ass instead of our own. It's beautiful."

Moss saw the prideful look in his fathers face, "then I believe a call to the Raven needs to follow one to the Director."

The Kingmaker nodded approvingly, "I always knew you were cunning, but getting me to agree to my own death? You're ready to take my place."

After dropping Mango at Dulles airport to handle his new task, Ravenna had driven to Newark to oversee Romeo's project. She pulled into the small warehouse just outside of the Port of Newark to see him standing proudly among the sea containers.

"How did it go?" Romeo asked as Ravenna stepped out of the car.

"I'm a little jealous." She said as he guided her through the maze of metal boxes. "She can't compete with Anastasia but she is very talented. Shame she wastes her beautiful body on that loss."

Chuckling loudly, Romeo shook his head, "Griffin has been pretty useful over the last few years. Still, I can't wait until I can kill the bastard."  
Digging into her purse, Ravenna pulled out the handi-cam and passed it to him, "That new formula Miguel and Hector worked out was beautiful. It will be the premiere rape drug within a year."

Romeo grinned as he turned on the camera and watched a few seconds, "He didn't even hesitate?"

Ravenna shook her head. "Not even a little. It's perfect, even with the side effects. And Miguel's version of Rohypnol left her with a nasty hangover and a huge memory gap. She doesn't remember anything, not even my call or waking up at her home."

"That should make the cops nuts." He laughed, "wait till some uptight slut finds out that she's pregnant and can't remember fucking some guy."

Smiling, Ravenna stopped to see three of her men working on unloading a container full of large tanks of oil.

"How is this working out?" She asked.

Romeo shrugged, "Well we're only through six containers but we did lose a couple of our packages to leaks."

He lead her over to the van where more than a dozen oval shaped pipes were sitting on oil spill pads. "When I came up with this idea, i thought sending them out in coffee would be the way to go. But hiding products in the agitator blades of bulk yogurt containers was ingenious."

"It made sense." She agreed, "it's one of Brazil's largest exports."

"Every time we do those 50 gallon drum fruit purée shipments, i worry that we'll miss one and tip off the feds." Romeo walked over to the agitator blades and smiled, "With these, we won't leave any product behind."

"True but…" shaking her head she looked at the amount of narcotics they were putting into the van, "THis is hardly a permanent solution for New York, the Venezuelan shipments might be."

Romeo bobbed his head as the men pulled out the motor that turned the blades. "True, but this pure shipment will at least keep things moving and it's only one shipment. I'm still in favor of running them through Boston instead of Baltimore. It's far enough away from New York and not as significant of a threat as Norfolk."

"Our ability to ship by air is limited." She replied as she examined the packages of fine powder being dumped into a plastic tub. "If we are talking about moving whats left of the New York operation to Boston exclusively, then the docks are the only way to move that kind of bulk."

"Which means we'd have to either cut Doyle in on the shipments or cut him out of the docks."

Ravenna nodded as her phone rang, "And we haven't had a lot of success in muscling him out into the open."

She checked the ID and frowned. She shouldn't have an unknown caller on this phone, it was relayed through her call center in Arboles.

 _Interesting._ She answered it, "Yes?"

The throaty voice of an elderly man greeted her, "we seem to have a common problem. Perhaps together we can correct it."

Not sure who it was, Ravenna decided to go fishing. "And what problem do I have that I would need you for?"

"Bracken." The voice said, "are you interested?"

Ravenna grinned and pointed to the phone. "Interested is too strong a word. Listening sounds better."

Romeo grinned realizing this was the call they'd been waiting for since bracken got busted and Simmons got dead.

"Well I need the trial to end before he caves in for a plea and you need him silenced before he exposes you."

Ravenna laughed, "If I wanted him dead, he would be already."

"Then why keep him alive." The voice asked, "he's burned as a candidate and as a politician."

"True but he has something I want very much."

"And that would be?"

Smirking at Romeo she leaned against the van one arm cupped under the one holding the phone, "That's my business. What I need is a mistrial and someone who will not be refiling charges."

"I can do the second but I need grounds for the first."

"And I can get you those grounds." She said, "but there are certain things I want for that information."

"Such as?"

"Bracken has been instrumental in cutting down my competition. I want ICE, DEA, Coast Guard, and Border Patrols to continue with their heavy patrols and enforcement to the southern borders."

"What about your own shipments?" He said, "I can help you there."

"No thank you." She replied, "I can handle my own logistical solutions. All I really want is my competition buried and a clear end to Bracken's trial so I can extract him."

"Once he's given you what you want, what happens to him?"

"The moment I have what I need, he's no concern to me anymore."

"Give me proof of death and you have a deal?"

"Very well," she replied, "give me contact info and I'll hand you the information you want. Enough to force a mistrial."

"Done." Came the reply, "Wrap this up quickly and we may be able to do more business in the future."

"I look forward to it, Mister…"

"I'm The Kingmaker. And you are?"

"The Raven." She said and smiled wickedly at Romeo, "but you may call me Mistress."

 **Carreto, Panama.**

Hidden in the eastern rain forest south of Puerto Escocés is a graded and paved runway that very few knew of. Its most prominent ingredient used in the concrete mix was gneiss. Specifically varying shades of green to camouflage its existence with the surrounding jungle. It was about the size of a n aircraft carrier with only enough of the trees cleared away to be used. Most people who land here are drug mules and gunrunners running various planes ranging from Cessnas to DC-3s. Very rarely could anyone see a Gulfstream or Learjet landing here. Yet that was the case as the small private jet rose from its near sea level approach and touched down effortlessly. It came to a stop not far from a small convoy of vehicles to include several old military jeeps, a deuce and a half and a Land Rover Discovery. Though October is known here as one of the wettest months of the year, it was surprisingly sunny out with a naturally high humidity and less than three hours left of daylight. The door to the air conditioned Land Rover opened to reveal a tall Hispanic man with long black curly hair. Dressed impeccably in light slacks and a white button down opened to his abdomen, he was the typical image of a drug king.

As the hatch was opened by Dembe and he climbed down Rafael smiled wide when Red stepped out onto the stairs.

"Raymond!" He shouted as Red stepped onto the concrete. "You old fiend! Welcome to Panama."

"Rafael!" He said with a grin, "I trust things are going well in your border war?."

"Thanks to the weapons you provided, we're keeping the government dogs out of the Morté. " He said and paused at the curvy brunette in the loose flowing top and casual slacks that climbed out of the plane behind Red. "And you brought some beautiful scenery of your own! Tell me this one is for sale."

Keen paused as she heard Rafael's statement, "That'll be the day."

"Trust me, you couldn't handle that one." He said jovially, "Rafael De La Pointés, meet my associate, Elizabeth Grady. She has a small business venture in the United States that she needed a vacation from."

Rafael smiled lasciviously at her and held out his hand, "Such a pleasure to meet you my dear and here you come to my humble part of the world for your much needed rest." His eyes trailed down her slander neck and over the curves of her breasts and settled on the slope of her hips, "If there is anything I may do to help relieve your tensions, just let me know."

Keen closed her eyes to hide her eye roll. "I'm sure just being away will be sufficient."

Red put a hand on Lizzy's lower back, "Mind your manners, Rafael. I haven't peddled flesh yet and I'm not about to start."

"What a shame," He said and smiled wolfishly at her, "So what brings you to Panama, my old friend?"

"Information." Red said. "On one of your neighbors."

"Ha!" Rafael said as he turned towards he car, "All my neighbors work for me."

Red nodded, "Yes well I'm looking at one of your neighboring cartels."

"American Patrols have cause a lot of problems here," Rafael said, "Only ones left are Garibaldi is to the west and Mancuso to the north."

"And to the East?" Lizzy said.

Rafael turned and looked at her, "That is Colombia, it's pure chaos over there. Between what happened to Velez and Escalante, that whole area is in chaos."

"Interesting times call for interesting measures." Red said as they made there way to the the vehicles. "I Understand that the Raven has made crossing the borders rather difficult."

"That _punta_ making us all work too hard." He spat, "She's cost all of us a fortune with her stupidity. There are plenty of addicts for us all but she trying to monopolize America."

"Then it's a good thing I'm here." Red said confidently. "By any chance do you still keep a supply of those wonderful cigars of yours."

Grinning widely, Rafael snapped his fingers and a beautiful Latina climbed out of the Land Rover with just such a cigar.

"This is Gisele," Rafael said as she handed red the smoke. "That cigar was rolled on her thigh. Just this morning."

Red glanced down at the very short skirt, long shapely legs, and then back at Rafael, "I can't wait to try it."

"Pig." Lizzy grumbled as they climbed into the SUV.

 **Hanover, PA.**

Still a week away from Abbie's next appearance in court, John sat with his back against the rear tire of his old GMC Canyon. Bought new in 2005 after Abbie had given birth to Jason, he'd all but stopped driving it in 2006 when he'd found out that she was pregnant again. It sat in the parking garage at the DHS with no insurance until it was paid off, using his government issued Interceptor instead. The only time it ever really got driven was when he'd needed to go somewhere without a government owned and GPS tracked car. The rest of the time it remained at DHS, collecting the dust that even now, still covered the midnight blue paint.

Now it sat beneath a couple of trees on a hill that overlooked the warehouse where Abbie's security team had sequestered her from prying eyes.  
A large facility that at one time, held beans, corn, and other grains used at the local food refinery. But as the plant's ability to process the grains more efficiently into grocery items increased, the old warehouse had stopped being used. As is common in his native Pennsylvania experience, the warehouse had been built on a hill not unlike the one John was parked on, which had resulted in two warehouses more or less, since the upper half had a floor that sat almost two stories higher than the lower half. As a result, the building had two sets of truck docks which, more often than not would have been used by tractor trailers that carried grains, from the upper end to the lower end as well as to and from the plant that was just over a mile away.

The tracer John had put on one of Abbie's guards revealed that they were in the upper warehouse. John recognized it as a tactical strength. Giving her team the higher ground from anyone attempting to penetrate the structure from below, and that was also an advantage in retreat, since they controlled the descent to the lower level and there for again, holding the high ground to take out rear guards in an assault on the upper level. The soldier leading her team, O'Malley, knew his urban combat tactics.

John picked up the GPS unit that was honed in on the tracer signal and again, consulted the building plans he'd pulled up at the office. It showed the most recent layout of the structure.

As far as he could tell, they were holed up in the offices located on the east wall. There was also a locker room there that had showers, as well as a large break room. But what he couldn't tell from either the GPS or the building plans was where exactly Abbie was. He saw the blip on the screen move around the building several times. Most of the time it was in the upper area some in the office, but at least once a day it was down in the lower side for several hours. He assumed that it was for guard duty.

Setting the plans and the GPS aside, he dug into his duffel bag and pulled out a small can of potato chips, Justin had gotten him hooked on the stupid things. Talk about truth in advertising, "Once you pop, you can't stop." He crunched one loudly and picked up the binoculars and again eyed the structure, looking for some kind of weakness he could exploit. Something to get him into the building undetected. He had to, his children were depending on him. John sighed as once again he came up with nothing.

He almost set the binoculars down when the overhead door started to raise up. Quickly, John dropped the can and focused on the door.  
His breath caught at Abbie standing on one side with an H&K assault rifle cradled in her hands, perfectly visible from his position. Her face had a grim determination on it as the black suburban slowly pulled out of the building. Through the windshield, he made out the appearance of a blond woman in a black t-shirt. Very cute but no one he recognized. Once clear, he saw Abbie push the button to close the door. John focused his attention on her. Dressed in black tactical pants and a black t-shirt, he saw her long black hair pulled back into a pony tail. Hair that should have been straight, not flowing in a curly mass of ebony. Her arms were also lean and well defined.

The fingerless gloves were another major difference. Abbie, never understood the idea of wearing gloves with bare fingertips. Her combat boot tapped impatiently until the door finally came to a close. John lowered his binoculars and immediately picked up the GPS unit. He watched the dot moving across the very area that he'd seen her at. Setting both down, he loses his eyes as he realized that it wasn't Abbie that he'd seen. It was Rizzoli.

He quickly got up and moved around to the opposite side of his truck. He yanked open the rear passenger door and dug through the box of files there until he found hers. John pulled tout her dossier and stared at the picture, again taken aback by her likeness to his wife.  
He looked over the bed of the truck at the warehouse, lost in thought. Something here wasn't making any sense.

"Why would you, being directly involved in this case, risk a mistrial by running protection for Abbie?" He turned back to the file. The obvious answer was as a body double. "But I put that tag on you in the courthouse. Your not a lawyer, so you can't try the case. How did you switch places with her before going to the courtroom?"

His eyes widened as he remembered them leaving the bathroom. John stuffed the file back into the box and slammed the door shut. He paced behind the truck as he tried to figure out how this could help him. Then it came to him, how he could end this and get his children back without having to kill his wife.

Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he quickly dialed Ella's number for the first time with hope.

 _"Did you find her?'_ Was the immediate answer.

"Yeah, I found her." He replied, "she's holed up in a warehouse and I'll need a distraction to dig her out. Two, or three men at the most though. Any more will attract a shit tone of attention. Make sure you don't care too much about them though, I'll need bodies for the scene."

 _"You want me to provide you with expendable men for your distraction?"_

"You want her dead, I want my children back," He breathed in and prepared himself for the lie he needed her to believe, "I've been thinking a lot over the last year or so about getting a divorce. This would be a lot easier."

 _"A divorce?"_ She said disbelievingly, _"You expect me to believe that you want your wife dead so you don't have to divorce her?"_

He closed his eyes, "The only reason I haven't filed is because she'd get custody of my sons. As if that wasn't enough, I'd have to pay alimony and child support through the nose. If this goes smoothly enough, I get it all without a huge fight. Just make sure I come away clean or I won't be of much use to you."

 _"Two or three men loaded for bear. That's all you need?"_

"That's it." He said with a slight smile, "That's all I need to sell this thing."

 _"Where and when?"_ She asked.

"Hagerstown Maryland. Tomorrow night." He said, "I'll bring them in the rest of the way myself, Just so I know your playing me right."

"Did you get it?" She asked Romeo.

"The stupid bastard has the damn phone on him." Romeo grinned as he slapped the laptop closed. "I got him, the phone and, the truck within ten feet of each other."

"Send a full team, ten men." Ravenna smiled as she sat back in the car, "I want the building leveled tonight. With all of them inside."

"Rex would be the best choice then." Romeo said. "I just wish I could be there to make sure it goes down right."

"Yes but we have a bust tonight." She said coldly. "De La Pointés thinks he's going to get a shipment into New Orleans. I want to put an end to his line of thinking."

"Shame we have to do it legally, it would be so much more fun to drop the body of his courier on his house as opposed to interrogating him in lock up."

Ravenna smiled brightly, "Right at dinner time."

They laughed together at the thought of the smuggler falling through the druglord's roof and landing on his dinner table.

Tonight was going to be a good night.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Had a busy weekend and forgot to post. Here it is. Cheers!

 **Hanover, PA**

 **November, 2015**

Abbie sat down on the cot and tried to focus on the swell of information that Booth had received from the FBI two days ago at the courthouse. Which wasn't easy considering the bomb that Colin had dropped on her that same night. Her children had come under attack and it drove home exactly how dangerous Bracken was. How he'd found them was still a mystery and that more than anything bothered her.

Thank god Olivia was there. Abbie would forever be indebted to her old friend for her actions last night. Shaking her head she tried to clear her mind. Her children are safe, Maura and Liv are with them.

Looking at the cot next to hers she saw Julia curled up with a small picture of a very pretty blond preteen who Abbie had learned was the medic's niece. Danica had lost her parents and now lived with Julia full time. It was a heart wrenching story but as Abbie looked around at the three women who surrounded her, she saw tragedy all around her. Julia's family, Kate's mother, Jane's hands.

Tragedies that left deep scars among them but those scars that had also made them strong women. Their convictions were unlike anything Abbie had seen before as they put themselves in harms way for her. So that Abbie could stop tragedy from striking so many others.

Even the men here had lost something. Booth's brother was murdered. Grigg's lost two brothers in a drive by in Miami. And Colin? She didn't know much about him other than he'd been seriously injured in his first term of service. No one here knew much about it and Abbie hadn't asked out of respect, and other things. Things Abbie really didn't want to think about like how easily she forgot she was married when he was nearby.

"What's that grin for?" Jane asked from her cot.

Abbie blinked and looked over at her duplicate. "What?"

"She was thinking about that husband of hers." Kate said without opening her eyes, "I've seen that little smile on your face whenever you day dream of that wife of yours."

Jane shook her head, "Honey, if you saw that woman naked, you would smile too."

Opening her eyes, Kate turned to glare at her partner, "I have seen her naked because I helped get her into that wedding dress. She's sexy but she doesn't do it for me."

"Right." Jane rolled her eyes, "And Castle's ass does it for you."

Kate smirked, "Its a very nice ass, Jane."

Jane grinned, "Yours is better."

"Jesus Christ." Julia mumbled then sat up, "Are you sure you two don't have something on the side?"

"Say what?" Jane balked, "She's like my sister!"

Julia smirked as she glared hard at Jane, "You tell your sister she has a better ass than her husband."

Jane waved a hand frantically at Kate, "She does. If she wasn't my sister I'd love to grab a hand full of it."

"That never stopped you." Kate chuckled.

Jane glared with a look of disgust on her face, "Seriously. Kate, I love you, but not like that."

Kate smirked again and winked at Julia. "You know she made out with me in a bar right?"

Jane threw her hands up and fell back on her cot, "We were undercover!" Then she turned to look at her, "And as I remember it, you stuck your tongue in my mouth first."

Kate shook her head, "That's because you didn't. For as sexy as you say I am, I thought you would have jumped on the chance. Not to mention that kiss that Maura holds against Liv."

Abbie frowned as she looked at Jane, "You made out with Liv?"

Jane sat up and spun so her feet were planted on the floor and her back against the wall, "That was different! I thought she was Maura and I thought that because I was way out of it."

She jerked a finger defensively at Kate, "And again, with Kate, I was undercover, in a bar, trying to break a case and these two assholes weren't getting the hint and as long as they were around us, there was no chance of getting to the guy we wanted. So it was either threaten them with severe disfigurement or make out with my partner as a jealous lover."

"So you've made out with both of your," Julia made quotes with her hands, "Sisters. Very interesting."

Jane narrowed her eyes, "Completely not funny, Blondie."

"Blondie?" Julia huffed, "I'm not the one who makes out with my family members."

She then looked at Abbie, "I'd look out if I were you, She might be narcissistic enough to try and make out with you."

Abbie blinked, completely stunned that Julia would say such a thing.

"Don't worry, Abbie," Kate interjected, "Julia has a lot more to worry about than you."

"Why's that?" The medic asked.

"Because," Kate said with a wicked smile and leaned forward, cupping her hands together, "Your exactly Jane's type. You've never met Maura but you do have the very same body type and… assets, as her wife. Hell, you both have medical degrees."

Julia nodded. "So that's why she keeps staring at my ass."

She looked to Jane who's eyes held a heated look as she smiled confidently, "Even my wife would say you're hot."

"Awe," She smirked back and adjusted her bra so her breasts were pushed up just a little higher. "That's so sweet. Too bad I'm straight."

Jane looked at Kate, "One night with Liv would fix that."

Kate busted out laughing, nearly falling off her cot.

"Do you guys do this all the time?" Abbie asked them.

It was Julia who replied, "Not really. They're way worse at LETO but Liv usually keeps them from getting too far out of hand."

"Until she gets drunk and joins in." Jane added.

"And regardless of the boob grabbing and ass slapping, Jane and Kate are very loyal to their spouses." Julia said, "Even though they share a bed together every year."

"Hey, both my wife and her husband know that." Jane defended. "Curling up with Kate keeps me from loosing my mind without my wife."

"Which is why Jane's been extra whiney lately." Kate added. "These cots aren't exactly a two woman deal."

"Whiney?!" Jane whined.

"Yes." Kate and Julia said in unison.

Jane pouted like a four year old, "I haven't seen her in almost two months. Or talked to her."

"She's very co dependent." Kate explained.

"Thanks, Partner." Jane growled, "Way to make me look like a punk."

Kate blew her a kiss and turned back to Abbie, "Surely you feel that way about your husband and children."

"I do," Abbie said with conviction, "If something happened to my kids, I'd just die."

Jane didn't miss the fact that Abbie hadn't mentioned her husband, but then again, Jane knew that things weren't so great there.

Kate smirked, "I saw your husband at the courthouse. Nice looking guy."

Abbie's smile wilted a little. It was enough to tell Kate she'd hit a nerve.

"Yeah." She said as she packed up her files, "He's a good dad."

Picking up the box of files, Abbie smiled at the cop, "I really need to get this stuff straightened out for court."

Without another word, she walked out with the box.

Kate looked at Jane who stood up quickly to follow her.

"Hey, what did I say." Kate said as Jane walked out.

Julia shook her head at her, "I'd say not everything is like 'The Walton's' in the Griffin house."

Abbie set the box down on the table in the break room and continued out into the warehouse area. Over a hundred thousand square feet it was filled with various pieces of equipment neatly arranged, perfect for finding a quiet place.

Listening to Jane and Kate talking about their happy relationships had taken a toll on Abbie. More than anything she wanted to scream out loud, giving her frustration in her own marriage a voice. Everything she'd done to try to save her marriage was failing miserably and the more she heard about other's and their happy lives, the more it drove home just how troubled her own was.

She ducked and weaved through the equipment looking for an escape. Just a quiet place where she could cry quietly. She knew Jane wouldn't be far behind her and she really didn't want to hurt the cop's feelings by venting any of this at her.

Rushing around a corn combine she ran into another body, one that didn't move as she bounced off and lost her balance. Before she could fall a pair of arms grabbed her tightly, preventing her from falling. Relieved that she hadn't hurt or embarrassed herself, her hands gripped the strong arms. Immediately she felt heat rush through her entire body as she looked up into Colin's blue eyes.

Hearing boots running behind her, he pulled Abbie against him and in a lightning fast move, twisted to put himself between her and the sound while drawing his pistol in a flash. With her hand already on her side arm, Jane rushed around the big machine and froze at the sight of the gun.

Seeing Abbie with Colin, Jane relaxed, "All clear. No issues."

He nodded and lowered his sidearm, "Aye. We're clear." He tipped his head to the side and Jane caught his meaning.

She arched an eyebrow at him and he nodded then tipped his head again.

"I'll be near the break room." She said and walked away.

Colin reholstered his pistol and looked down at the attorney who had straightened in his grasp but handn't let go.

"Everything alright?" He asked.

The feel of his body pressed against hers had her pulse running wild. If she had any doubt before, it was gone now. She liked the feel of him against her and for the moment, she couldn't remember why she wasn't supposed to feel like this. Instead, she held on, savoring the sensation.

When she didn't immediately respond, Colin became concerned, far more than he should have been, "Abigail. Are you alright?"

Unable to think while pressed against him and despite her desire to stay in his grasp, she reluctantly stepped out of his protective embrace. She immediately regretted the loss of his body against hers but her head came back to her, and she needed to think or she just might do something embarrassing.

"Yes." She said softly, "Just… I wasn't… comfortable with the conversation in there. I just needed some air."

Colin's eyes flashed with understanding, "I know they'n get carried away but tell me what be botherin' you and I promise, it will'na be brought up again."

Through his warm smile, she could see he was genuinely upset at his friends, his thickening accent was proof. But Abbie wasn't weak and she wasn't about to tell him why she'd been running. She was a Texan, and Texans were tougher than that.

"It's nothing." She replied firmly and cleared her throat, "Really, it's just everything that's going on, and my kids, and the case. It just got to me for a minute. It'll be fine, I just need a minute."

Colin didn't believe her for a second but he saw her resolve and her need to appear strong so he wouldn't press the issue with her. He'd catch Jane or Kate as they went on guard duty.

"Would you like to take a walk." he said indicating the pathway along the edge of the building. "Give you a few minutes away from that lot."

She shouldn't, she knew it. But right now a walk sounded better than going back and facing them. "Sure."

He pulled the sling of his battle rifle up a little higher on his shoulder and smiled as he lead the way along his patrol. Though he wanted to see how she was holding up, even he knew that it was a pretense to spend time with her. Up until now, he'd gone out of his way to avoid being alone with her because of the attraction he'd felt, one that he was certain she felt too. But the gold ring on her hand was enough and Colin kept himself professional when it came to Abbie.

 _So you better act like one, boyo._ He thought to himself.

"You know, we drill on these kind of things constantly in the Army. Battle tactics, defensive positions, routine patrols, weapons checks, a constant vigil. Griggs, Hill, Booth, we all fall back into this life because it's how we were taught. The routine and waiting isn't as stressful on us as it is on Kate and Jane because it's what we've trained on. We enjoy the comfort of knowing that very little happens at home and when we deploy, we know we're going into hostile territory. IT's a limited engagement and we dream of the day when we return home, to safety.

"Jane and Kate are police officers. They go into hostile territory when they walk out the front door of their homes, day after day. So in a way, they're more used to the steady stress of potential combat situations, and those two have seen more than their fair share of it. They have their own unique way of dealing with it.

"Despite the constant training I do of police officers and federal agents, I still do things the army way. train, drill, repeat. I guess maybe i'm a little too used to these kind of things. I tend to forget that your a civilian and that this whole thing is very different then what your used to."

Abbie nodded as they walked towards the back of the warehouse that held the stairs to the lower section. "I've worked with police and Federal Agents my entire career. I've never been anything but a prosecutor. I've had people threaten to kill me countless times. Hell I've had one or two credible threats against my life. But I've never been in this kind of danger." She pointed at the man door they were passing, "I've never been afraid to walk outside because their might be someone who is waiting to put a bullet in my head. I've never been afraid for my children's lives. My husband, yes. But he's a Federal Agent. I know that he might not come home one day but I never thought that anything he did could bring bad guys to my house."

"And after hearing about Kate and Jane's pasts, that must seem like a real threat." He said knowingly.

"YEs, there is that." She replied and blinked away the watering in her eyes, "But I never thought it would be me who brought that home. I had the chance to walk away from this case, Charlie, my boss, wanted me too. I think he knew how bad this could get. I knew that it would endanger my children so I sent them away before I insisted on taking the case. I thought they'd be safe wherever JAne had hidden her wife, especially knowing how Jane feels about her wife. And then you told me about the attack and I can't help but think that it's only a matter of time before they find them again, or us. Hell, I don't even know how they're doing."

Reaching the railing that lead to the lower floor, Colin looked out and saw Booth patrolling his area. He waved the all clear and Booth waved it back.

As they resumed their circuit of the top floor, Colin thought long and hard about the conversation he'd had with Olivia earlier today. Regardless of his objections, she and Kieran were on their way and would be here tonight. He'd already briefed his team and despite the danger, they'd welcomed news of their families but also agreed unanimously to sending them back to their families as quickly as possible. Abbie hadn't been informed yet. No time like the present.

"Well then I have a surprise for you."

She looked up at him ad he smiled.

"Your children, Maura, and Rick, have met up with Booth's wife and children." He said with a smile, "I don't know where exactly there at but I do know that they are completely off the grid with no way to track them. Dr. Brennan's father is quite accomplished at hiding and from what I was told by Booth, they will be near impossible to find. Even as many as they are."

Abbie shook her head, "you don't know where?"

"Not yet." He said but put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her, "But I know that you'll be a nervous wreck until you hear it straight from a familiar face so I've already made the arrangements. You'll go to bed tonight confident in their safety and security. Plus, Olivia made video letters for you and the rest of the crew. Just a little something to keep you going."

Relief flooded her at the news. Like Jane had said, it had been almost two months since Abbie had hear anything from her kids.

Colin smiled at her, "It's almost over, Abbie. Pretty soon, you'll be on yer way to get them and despite the time you've been separated, it will feel like coming home."

She smiled and bumped her shoulder into his, "Like coming home from overseas?"

He laughed lightly, "Aye. But you'll appreciate it just a little more. You're finishing up your first tour of duty and I must say, that you've handled herself quite well."

THey found Jane leaning against an auger, her rifle sung and watching them carefully.

"I guess I should return you to your chaperones." He said with a quick look to make sure she was okay with that.

Abbie smiled and shook her head, "Actually, I'd like to talk to her a while if I can."

"She's going downstairs for a few hours, if you want privacy." He smiled lopsidedly and looked into her eyes, "You want me to say something to her?"

"No, it's really not a big deal. I'll take care of it." Abbie said, they fell silent until they caught up to her.

"Feel better?" Jane asked.

Abbie nodded.

Colin checked his watch but as he set his eyes on Jane he realized that his body didn't react to her the same as it had with Abbie. If anything she cooled his head so he saw her as the friend she'd always been.

"Go ahead and relieve Booth. You'll be downstairs until 0200 and Griggs will relieve you."

Jane nodded and headed towards the stairwell. Colin walked away, leaving Abbie to follow her copy.


	28. Chapter 28

Booth saw Jane and Abbie coming down the long stairwell and stretched his arms out in a what the hell manner. Jane merely tipped her head up the stairs and nodded to booth.

"Girl talk." She said and smirked at him. Booth dropped his hands and nodded before starting the long ascent upstairs.

Once he was out of view, Jane lead Abbie on her patrol route.

"I'm sorry if we upset you in there." She said quietly. "Kate didn't know."

"Know what." Abbie asked hoping it wasn't obvious.

Jane merely glared knowingly before looking back along the walls and ceiling. "Part of what makes our bonds so strong is the shit we've gone through. Like Colin says, the strongest bonds of friendship are forged in the heat of battle. I know this to be true because Kate and I have been through a lot together, Gunfights, serial killers, hired assasins. I've laid my life on the line for her more than once and she's done the same for me."

Jane eyed Abbie as she continued,

"You don't back down or back off because it gets hard. People want you dead so this guy can walk on charges of treason and you still go into court to put him away when others would run away and hide. You face their deadly intent bravely, without doubt or hesitation because you know what's at stake. You know it's the right thing to do. And because of that courage under fire, I'm willing to give my life to get you into that courtroom, even knowing that if I died, my wife would join me in the grave shortly there after. I know Kate would give her life for you too and these attempts on your life have done one really good thing you may not have noticed."

Frowning, Abbie tried to picture one good thing from the attacks. She looked at Jane and curiosity won out, "What's that?"

"You've gained friendships that are battle born and battle tested." Jane smiled warmly at her, "In my experience, those are the strongest friendships there are because there's nothing that can stand between us getting to you when you need us."

Jane put a hand on Abbie's shoulder and looked her straight in the eyes. "All you have to do is call one of us and we'll be there."

Dropping her hand Jane resumed her walk along the walls of the lower warehouse. It took Abbie a second to process that before she continued walking with her.

"Okay, then you won't have a problem telling me about this whole 'one night with Liv' thing that you and Kate keep laughing about."

That brought another laugh from Jane and she nodded. "Well, you know about Liv and Alex, right?"

"I know that they had a pretty rocky relationship, mostly after she came out of Witsec."

"Well that's a different story." Jane said, "Liv has a really bad tendency to sleeping with her ADAs. The last woman ADA I know of was straight until she slept with Liv."

"Casey Novak." Abbie said. "Sergeant Major Novak's daughter."

Jane nodded, "One night with Liv and Casey was in love. So when we found out, we started joking around about 'You've never lived until one night with Liv.' Even though Casey is a really emotional subject for her, it became our premiere joke about converting a straight girl to a gay woman."

Abbie laughed, "If you girls only knew."

Jane smiled, "I know you know something about it. Are you sure you and Liv never—"

"No!" Abbie laughed, "No, I've never been with her. But I am willing to bet that there is something to your one night with Liv theory."

Jane grinned at her, "Cmon tell me."

Abbie shook her head and Jane started begging, "C'mon, Abbie. I'm sticking my neck out for you, that's gotta count for something."

"Oh fine!" She snipped good naturedly. "I can say that Liv knows what she's doing because I saw her. Alex damn near tore the paper towel dispenser off the wall while Liv was going down on her. It was hanging by one screw when I backed out of the bathroom and Alex left gouges in the wall."

Jane covered her mouth as she laughed. "Oh my god! She rocked it."

The north wall of the building exploded.

One minute, Abbie was talking to Jane, the next, she was flat on her back with Jane splayed across her protectively. But the cop wasn't moving.

Gunfire erupted upstairs and Abbie feared the worst. As she grabbed the cop, she heard Jane groan.

"Jane!" Abbie shouted.

"Quiet!" Jane whispered harshly as she slowly crawled off the attorney. Jane got to her feet slowly, obviously rattled by the explosion. The cop carefully raised her weapon and as Abbie rose to her feet, she saw blood seeping out of Jane's shirt near her hip.

"Your hurt." She gasped and reached for the cops T-shirt.

Jane caught her hand and Abbie froze at the cold malevolent look in Jane's eyes. Her black eyes were frighteningly emotionless, and held a very lethal intent.

She covered her lips with one finger and raised her rifle. Abbie fell in behind her and jumped as Jane pulled the trigger twice.

Two men fell dead at their feet. Men who had been moving so quietly Abbie hadn't known they were there.

Jane went down on one knee and jerked the ski mask off of each of them. Both men had a neat hole in the center of their foreheads. Not recognizing either of them she quickly checked for radio. She yanked out an earbud and stuck it to her ear as she finished searching the body. Coming up with nothing identifying, Jane pulled the radio off the body and stuck it to her belt.

She looked over at Abbie, "Get your gun out. Your going to need it today."

Wide eyed, Abbie reached for her pistol at the same time she realized Jane was sweating, something she'd never seen the cop do. What's more, her olive toned face was starting to pale.

"Are you alright?"

Jane shook her head. "I have to get you out of here."

"How?" Abbie asked. "The Suburban is up there where the fighting is. The LAV isn't here at all?"

Jane staggered and almost lost her balance but caught herself against a large white plastic tank, "There's a… truck coming… Griggs's Jeep… black."

To Abbie's surprise, Jane groaned and sank to her knees. Abbie reached for the cop but before she could get her, Jane fell to the floor.

"Jane!" Abbie shouted and grabbed a hold of the cop.

She dropped to her knees and pulled Jane's shirt up to expose the wound. Abbie and sucked her breath at the twisted piece of metal protruding from her back. Two inches wide, it had embedded nearly perfectly into a large patch of scar tissue over her right hip.

"Oh shit!" Abbie gasped. She took a deal breath to scream for help but Jane's fingerless gloved hand covered her mouth.

"You'll give away our position." Jane dropped her hand to the floor. "You have to leave me."

"No." Abbie grabbed Jane's hand, "No fuckin' way."

Jane leveled her cold emotionless eyes on her. "Take my gun… Go out… south door… straight to road… not drive… black Jeep… live."

The coldness in her eyes faded and Abbie saw her doubles face contort in a great sadness that hurt Abbie's heart. "Maura… I'm sorry."

Her eyes rolled back into her head and she went limp.

"Jane," Abbie shook the cop, "Jane!"

Closing her eyes against the tears threatening to fall, Abbie felt like she'd lost a family member. She'd felt the cop slam into her when the explosion happened. She'd taken that shrapnel for her, had protected her and now laid dying next to her.

"I don't break my promises either, Jane." She said to the cop. "I'm going to get you help."

She pulled the pistol from Jane's holster and stuck it behind her back. Tightening her grip on her own pistol, Abbie whispered a prayer over Jane and straightened.

With her 40 Cal S&W in her hand she headed away from Jane, dust and debris fell in slow streams as the building threatened to collapse.

Gunfire erupted in the upper warehouse but that was behind her, but it was broken up by a set of boots making their way towards her. Abbie listened carefully. Only one person, she thought and she took aim for the corner she was approaching, convinced that it was another gunman like the two Jane had taken out, before she fell.

"Abbie!?" A voice rose from behind a harvester. A voice she knew intimately. "Abbie where are you?"

"John?" she said in disbelief.

He rounded the big tractor and looked up at her, a gun in his hands, but as he saw hers he lowered it and held his arms away from his body,

"Jesus John, what the hell are you doing here?" She shouted as quietly as she could.

"I'm getting you out of here, where is everybody?"

"Their caught upstairs in the blast area, Jane's hurt. I need to get her out of here."

He shook his head, "No, we've got to get you out first and once you're safe, I'll come back for Jane."

She shook her head, "John, listen."

"Goddamn it, Abbie, for once just listen to me!" he shouted, "You're the only one who can put Bracken away. That means your safety comes first! Now let's go, I swear I'll come back for her once you're out of here."

She glanced back at the lines of equipment and sighed, Jane was there somewhere, but her words rang in her ear,

"Live."

Abbie's eyes watered at the thought of escaping to safety while the cop lay in danger but throughout this whole thing, her safety had been their first priority. Leaving Jane behind had been the hardest thing Abbie had ever done.

She closed her eyes and nodded to him, "Okay, but you have to come back for her."

He held his empty hand up, "I will. Come on."

Abbie rushed along the wall until John stopped her, "Slow down. There could be others roaming the building looking for you."

She nodded and started stepping quietly with her husband right behind her.

"Are you mad?" She asked thinking about how she and the boys just disappeared.

"No baby doll. I'm just worried." He said quietly.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't tell you about it."

I know." He said calmly. "But, you could have told me where the boys were."

"I didn't even know." She said, "All I knew was that they were with Jane's wife. Thank God Liv got them out safely."

John stopped cold. Ella said she had his children. If Abbie's friends had them safe and sound. If that psycho didn't have his children, that changed things.

"So they're safe?"

She paused. Somethings not right. One thing that she knew was that Colin's man had an update on her family. If John had come with him, he'd know already

"Yeah," she said, tightening her grip on her pistol and kept moving, "They're safe."

"Oh Jesus, thank you." He blew out a relieved breath,"When I heard about the attack at Springfield…"

He watched her posture change completely right before she shook her head and continued towards the south door. He'd made a mistake and he knew it.

With her stomach in her throat, Abbie pressed on against the pulse pounding in her ears. Her only thought was to get to the exit and to the backup Jane had told her about.

"Abbie?" John's tone changed, "Where are the boys?"

Click.

She stopped cold at the sound of a safety clicking off and turned her head to look at her husband.

The look in his eyes said that he knew she was on to him. The barrel of his gun aimed right at her heart was further proof.

Sheer disbelief ran through her. "John?"

"You know, for years I tried to keep you and the boys out of this mess." He said in resignation, though his gun remained steady on her, "You put me into this position, Abbie."

Turning slowly, she tried to understand, "John."

"No. Don't try it, Abbie." He sniffled, "You did this because you can't let anything go. You never did learn to let things go. Like this case."

"He can't be out on the street or he will come after us." She said, defensively, "He will kill us. He'll kill our children. You, me, my friends. Bracken will kill all of us if he goes free."

"No," John said, "There's someone a lot scarier than Bracken out there, and she wants him to go free. She'll make sure that he leaves us alone."

Abbie's eyes widened slightly, her mind spinning at his words. Lightning struck the inside of her mind as realization hit her like a freight train. _He works for her!_

"No." She gasped, "Please, tell me you didn't make a deal with the goddamn Raven!"

"Don't go there." he said his voice starting to shake, "Don't try to put this on me. You're the one who put her lapdog on trial, not me!"

Abbie lowered her hand slightly as she tried to reason with her husband. "John, my friends can help you."

"Your friends!?" he laughed slightly but she could see the sadness in his eyes, "I'm your husband, Abbie. And I was a damn good father, you took my boys away from me. You put a goddamn senator on trial, and since you know who he works for, you fucking knew what would happen. You knew and you hid the kids because you knew she'd come after them. Tell me where my kids are so I can get them the fuck out of this!"

"And do what, John?" She asked in earnest. "She can't find them where they are! For Christ's sake, their better off wherever the hell they are."

"You don't know?" He barked.

"No." she said sadly, "No I don't know where they are, for this very reason. So I can't put them in harms way."

"I need to know where they are so I can get us out of this."

"How," she asked, hoping that there was still a way to reach him.

"You said Jane is hurt." He nodded in approval, "I can pass her off as you to her and we can just go somewhere. Anywhere. Start over, just us. Me you and the boys."

"And fuck everyone else who this guy would butcher trying to find us." Abbie shook her head, "I can't. Not after all this."

His arm stretched out, the barely of his gun six feet away from her chest. "Goddamn it, Abbie, for once in your life just let it go!"

Her heart was shredded with every word but she couldn't give up hope, because through it all. Abbie still loved him.

"John, listen to me. Bracken works for the bloodiest Cartel since the Velez's." She pleaded, "Just come with me, honey. It doesn't have to be like this. Tell them what you know, testify against Bracken and the Raven. We can work the rest out. You don't have to do this!"

Something changed in his eyes and Abbie was blinded by it. The though refused to coalesce until it was too late.

John ran his free arm under his nose, as a tear slid from the corner of his eye. "I Love you, Abbie, but itf you won't come with me then I have no choice."

With that, Abbie watched his entire demeanor change from her distraught husband and into the hardened field agent who did whatever he had to do. His grip tightened on the gun and Abbie saw his eyes harden.

Though she never would have thought it possible, Abbie knew that John was going to kill her. She'd just seen him make that choice. Instinctively, she jerked her gun up to fire, but he beat her to it. The round smashed into her chest and as she fell, her own hand squeezed the pistol in her hand. Her S&W boomed, sending the round right through his chest. Her husband's blood splattered against the block wall behind him. Abbie felt the impact from the shot right before she crashed against a straw elevator, but the graphene vest Colin had given her had done more than protect her from the fall, it stopped the bullet he'd fired at her heart. Knocked on her ass, all she could do was watch her husband of fifteen years, the father of her three sons, fall backwards with a look of complete shock etched into his handsome face as he hit the cold concrete floor.

She blinked, unable to come to terms with what just happened in seconds. But, as the light left John's eyes, Abbie felt her world shift as she realized she'd killed her own husband, he was dead by her hand. Abbie slowly got up onto her knees and crawled towards him, tears welling up in her eyes, blurring her vision as she reached him.

"No." she said quietly, "Oh god, John, no! Her hands gripped his shirt and tore it open to see that the hole was right over his lung. ""NO, John? Please, NO!"

 _Oh God! Don't do this to me! What am I going to say to my sons?_

She was oblivious as the south door burst open and two people rushed in.

Hearing her wailing in anguish one of them shouted to the other, "Shite! Liv!"

An older man with salt and pepper hair and a long scar along his face ran right past her to the next piece of equipment where he aimed a black pistol to cover them.

A second later two strong hands grabbed her from behind.

"Abbie?"

"You've got to help him." She pleaded with all of her heart.

Olivia Benson reached past her and touched two fingers to his neck. She waited for a few seconds, but there was nothing. "He's gone Abbie."

"Where the hell is Jane?" The man shouted to them.

"Two rows in from the east wall," Abbie cried out, "under a tractor."

"Go get her!" Liv ordered.

Kieran ran as fast as he could and disappeared from view.

Liv took her radio out. "This is Butch, I have the Mirror."

"You have to help him," Abbie cried, "Please, he's my husband. You have to help him."

Liv shook the attorney hard, "Abbie listen to me. He's gone and we have to get you and Jane out of here, you hear me. If you die it's over. The Raven will hunt us all down. I know it's tough, I know it sucks, I watched Alex get shot in the middle of the street so I know what it feels like, but right now we have to go!"

Kieran came back a moment later with Jane in his arms and he was in a hurry, "She caught some shrapnel in the back. We've got to go now!"

Liv couldn't afford to try reason any more, she jerked Abbie to her feet and threw the smaller woman over her shoulder. Her friend started screaming and fighting, calling John's name as she carried her out of the building, Kieran right behind her. With the Jeep idling outside, Kieran pulled the front passenger door open before depositing Jane in the seat and pulling the back door open. Liv carried a still hysterical Abbie into the back seat and Kieran slammed both doors shut before running around the other side and jumping in. He didn't wait to make a radio call, he just floored it sending the SUV screaming out into the night.


	29. Chapter 29

_A/N: Going into the home stretch now. Some clean up and a few final appearances but don't worry, we're not done yet. After this story is over, I'm heading back to Disclosure and Discovery. Both need to be finished before we can move on from here. Meanwhile, let's get this one finished. 2 or 3 to go._

 _"Dani. Lunch is ready."_

 _There was no sound in response._

 _Frustrated, Julia Hill set the meal of sloppy joes down on the table and sighed heavily. "Just once I'd like her to answer me."_

 _She said to no one as she walked through her small two bedroom condo. She walked past her own room and walked straight into her niece's. Dani sat on her bed facing the window a picture clutched between her fingers._

 _"Dani?"_

 _Silence._

 _Julia took two steps forward and saw the picture in her hand. It was of Julia's sister and Brother in law. Dani's parents._

 _"Dani, honey?" She said as she sat down next to her._

 _"I don't want you to go." She said._

 _"Honey."_

 _"I don't want you to leave me too." Her voice quivered and the young girl practically vibrated with grief._

 _"Oh Dani I know baby." Julia slid an arm over her shoulder. "I know you're scared and you have every right to be. But I''m coming back. I'm not even leaving the country."_

 _Danica Cromwell cried. "You're still going to war."_

 _She pulled her niece into her arms, "I'm not going to war. But they do need a good medic. I don't think I'll be in the fighting."_

 _"You won't come back."_

 _"I will." Julia reached beneath her shirt and pulled out her dog tags. "Because I'll need these back." She slipped them over the girl's head. "So you've got to keep them safe for me."_

 _The little girl threw her arms around Julia._

 _"I love you aunt Jules."_

The darkness began to recede. Slowly Julia became aware of the ringing in her ears as she groggily regained consciousness. Something wet was landing on her face. She tried to wipe it from her eyes and realized that she couldn't move. Oddly, then she heard popcorn popping not far away, and it was getting louder. A hand, thin and gentle, cupped her cheek.

"Dani?"

The popcorn grew louder.

Again she tried to move but couldn't. There was a weight pressing on her.

"Dani, I can't move."

Her voice came through muffled, it almost sounded like her name.

She felt a cloth run over her eyes, blessedly clearing them. As the blurry shape began to clear she recognized that it wasn't Dani who was leaning over her. It was Kate Beckett.

The popcorn sound got clearer, especially when Kate raised a battle rifle and fired it overtop of her. Brass casings were launched off the side of the rifle and Julia was momentarily awe struck by the sight. The sight of someone as lovely as Beckett utilizing such a deadly craft.

 _Beauty and the Beast._

The popcorn stopped and two more shapes came into view. Colin, Colin was here and so was Griggs. They were pushing on part of the wall. It only took a moment before it collapsed backwards, dragging the galvanized steel frame with it. The weight on her stomach lightened.

That was when Julia saw what had her pinned. One of the cots was upside down and part of the ceiling had come down, followed by the wall. She could see the steel beams of the warehouse through the hole in the ceiling meaning that nothing structural had fallen on her. Kate knelt next to her, talking in a murmur, rifle still ready for combat but with the ringing in her ears, Julia couldn't make out what she was saying.

Colin and Griggs kept moving debris off of her until they finally got enough off of her to allow her to slide out from the mess.

Shakily. She rose to her feet with help from Kate. She felt the moisture on her face and swiped at it, hoping it wasn't blood. It wasn't. It was water.

She looked up to see the warehouse's sprinklers were running but Julia didn't have time to think about it as a pistol was put in her hand and she was hauled out of the room.

They ran through the office door and out into the night. Julia wanted to protest, the Suburban was only a few yards inside the building yet they were heading towards the Potato chip plant. She tried to say something but Kate covered her mouth and shook her head.

They ran across the empty street and hid behind a white cargo van. Colin looked at it and used the butt of his rifle to blow out the window. Griggs dove head first into the passenger seat as Colin opened the sliding door and shoved her in, Kate right behind her. When she was in. She saw Griggs hotwire the van and start it up. Colin jumped in and they tore off down the block. Griggs made two lefts and stopped as Seeley came out from behind a black Dodge Durango. He ran for them and once inside, Griggs spun the van around and sped away.

Kate grabbed her and started patting her down. Checking for wounds. Julia snatched at her hand and put it on the ache in her leg. Kate seemed to understand as she gently probed the area. Hill moved to her knees in the cargo area and pulled her pants down so she could see the damage. Kate shined a light on it so the medic could see the jagged slice in her leg, it wasn't deep but Kate wrapped a field dressing on it anyway.

After Hill had refastened her pants. Kate again tried to tell her something. Finally she gave up and pulled out a marker. Without paper she wrote on her hand.

 **Jane hurt, shrapnel.**

Her blood drained from her face.

"Is she alive?" She could barely hear herself say the words.

Kate nodded.

"Is it bad?"

She made a face, nodding in that yes and no way.

"It's still inside."

A nod.

"But you don't think it's immediately life threatening."

Nod.

"Is she conscious?"

Kate got a sad look, her eyes watered as she shook her head.

"Get me to her."

Kate pointed at her ear and waved a "what the hell" gesture at her.

"I don't need to hear to operate, Kate. But I do need supplies."

She held up an okay gesture then a thumbs up.

"How? Everything was in the Truck."

Kate smiled, pointed at the inside of one arm, then the other, then she curled her bicep.

Julia frowned, then she got it. "Olivia's here!"

Kate nodded.

"She got Abbie and Jane out."

Again a nod but she turned her head to look at Colin and shook her head. Julia couldn't hear her but she saw the word later from Kate's lips as clearly as if she heard it.

"What?"

Kate looked at her. Deciding whether or not she would say something. Again she mouthed "later." And pointed to her ear again.

"You'll tell me when I can hear again. That's bullshit."

Colin looked over his shoulder and made a throat cutting gesture.

Julia glared at him, knowing that whatever it was, he wasn't going to let her hear it now.

Julia's hearing was coming back slowly as Griggs negotiated through the town of Frederick Virginia and pulled up to a house she'd never seen. As soon as the lights were out on the van, a short, curvey blond woman ran out of the house and straight to Colin. "She's still out. She needs a doctor."

Colin helped the medic out of the van, "We brought one with us."

Kate jumped out right behind Julia, "Where is she?"

"We've got her laid out on the kitchen table." The petite blonde said.

With a quick look of gratitude, Kate led Julia into the house.

Colin grabbed Griggs by the shoulder, "Get rid of this van."

"On it." Griggs said and jumped into the drivers seat.

"How did they find us?" Booth asked him.

"I don't know." Colin replied.

"I do." The blond said. "When they carried her in I saw an iridium patch stuck to the bottom of her boot. My husband took it down to the bus depot."

"Someone must have put a bug on Abbie while she was dressed up like Jane." Booth groaned.

"Iridium patches don't give off a radio signal which is why we missed it on our sweeps." Colin said regretfully, "Jane would've known when someone put a bug on her but microwave tracers. I never though they could have that kind of technology."

"You can't think of everything, O'malley." Booth said as they walked into the house. "Besides, they shouldn't have it. It's NSA or CIA equipment."

"Or DHS." The woman said, "they've been using iridium patches to trace suspected terrorists movements over the last year. It's illegal but no one is interested in looking too hard at it."

"DHS?" Booth stopped at her words and looked at Colin. "Abbie's husband is DHS."

Colin looked at him in disbelief until something clicked in his head. His face flamed and he went into the kitchen to find Julia working over Jane's bare back with an open medical case on a chair.

The tiny blonde woman stood to the right of the door with one arm curled around her stomach, and the other cupping her chin nervously. She watched each of them with blue eyes that seemed to see everything, and they periodically went to a corner of the kitchen.

A tall man with an angry scowl stood there. Dressed all in black, he was a terrifying sight, his eyes were on fire with rage as he leaned against the wall. His face was menacing, with scars along his cheeks and a mossberg shotgun in his hand.

Kate was by Jane's head, stroking her hair gently, whispereing to her. "Goddamn it Janie, stop getting hurt or one day you might not come back from it and I need my sister too much for you to die, you hear me. I swear I'm putting a stop to this when I'm in charge. Now you pull through this so I can chew you out properly."

Colin closed his eyes as he reconciled that Jane had done her job. She'd put herself between Abbie and the explosion. It could have very well been Abbie on that table had it not been for his friend. Because he'd failed.

"How is she?" Booth asked.

Julia ignored him though the ringing in her ears had subsided. She feverishly worked to find any more metal that had penetrated her skin like the six inch long chunk of twisted metal that she'd already removed. Jane was out but Julia didn't want to risk anything more than a local anesthetic so dosing her was out of the question. Fortuanately she didn't find anything life threateningly damaged. The knife like steel wedge had buried itself in a large exit wound Jane had on her back, one Julia was going to have to ask about later.

Booth looked over at the blond, "Where is Abbie at?"

"My bedroom with Liv." She looked up at him, "She's a real mess right now, I don't know why."

"She shot and killed her husband." The dark man said, "He tried to kill her first."

Booth glared at Colin and the man nodded in agreement.

The only time they'd come across him directly was in the courthouse. Which meant the bug had been on Jane the whole time.

Booth headed for the hallway to check on Abbie as Colin came up to Kieran, "You alright cousin."

His eyes burned a hole in Colin, "The woman who freed me is on that table! What the fuck do you think?"

"She'll be alright." Julia finally said, "This whole area has been destroyed before so the damage is superficial for the most part. I just have to make sure there's no more shrapnel before I patch up inside."

"How long will she be down?" Kate asked.

"I can keep the area numb for the most part but she's not going to be in any condition to go back in the field for at least a few weeks."

"Then I'll take her home." Kieran said firmly, "Her wife will want to care for her anyway, though I plan on not being around for that fight."

Kate closed her eyes, "Maura is going to freak out."

"Aye, that she is." Kieran confirmed.

"No."

They all heard the word grumbled painfully.

Kate knelt next to her partner, "Janie?"

"Abbie." The detective whispered.

"She's safe." Kate cupped her cheek, "She's unharmed."

"Decoy." Jane groaned, "Need to be… there… Promised."

She started to shift but Kate pushed her shoulders down, "Whoa there Janie, don't you move. Julia is digging around in your back."

"Ow." She breathed, "Hey blondie, that's not kevlar back there."

"Could have fooled me." Julia chuckled as she stiched, "Who knew you had such tough skin?"

Kieran moved to lean down in front of his benefactor, "What do you want me to do, Jane?"

She blinked, surprised at his sudden appearance but it only lasted a second before she realized that it didn't matter. He could do what she couldn't right now, "Protect Abbie."

"Aye." He said and immediately went down the hall, shotgun in hand, towards the bedroom.

The blond frowned, "Just like that? She says go protect her twin and off he goes?"

"Kieran owes Jane his life. He takes that debt very seriously." Kate said.

"He only does what Jane or her wife says." Colin added. "And he'll do whatever he has to do to get it done."

"The house phone rang and the blond went to look at the reciever, "It's my sister in-law. I can't put it off anymore or she'll send my father in-law over to check on me."

She answere it and walked towards the livingroom, "Hey girl… No, I was just tied up in the kitchen. Yeah it's a real mess…"

Colin slipped away to the master bedroom. Quietly he stepped in to see Abbie laying curled up in the fetal position with her head in Liv's lap. She was crying as Liv stroked her head gently.

Kieran, knowing she wouldn't appreciate his menacing presence had moved over to a small bench near the closet and sat down, shotgun in his lap, and kept his eyes on the door and window.

Colin caught Liv's eye. "Does she need anything, water maybe."

Liv shook her head quietly and kept trying to comfort her friend. "No. Just give us time."

Nodding, Colin backed out of the room and headed back into the kitchen so he could talk to the home's owners. Honestly, this was the last place he expected Liv to take Abbie but the former cop had known what she was doing.

With her fingers still in Jane's back, Julia looked up to see him staring in concern. She nodded reassuringly and kept working. A look of grief passed over his face before he went into the living room.

The blond was still on the phone pacing around as her husband hung his jacket in the hall closet. He waved Colin to him and lead the way to the opposite end of the house.

Colin followed him into a bedroom decorated in Washington Redskins memorabilia. Posters of a few key players graced the walls as did a few of the cheerleaders. On the twin bed was a woolen redskins blanket that featured the famed Indian head.

"I thought you were a baseball fan." Colin said.

"Kyle liked football more and I wasn't about to tell my son that I don't like trying to follow the overly confused rules of the game."

He sat down on the bed, "Becky tell you about the tracer?"

"Yeah," Colin replied, "knowing you as I do, I assume they'll be chasing it a while."

He nodded, " I put it on some guys suitcase. With any luck, they'll follow him all the way to San Antonio."

"Good deal," he said as Becky came in.

"Well, Casey's off to bed so we won't here from her anymore tonight. And just so you know, Saber refused to sleep anywhere but in Kyle's room."

"Saber?" Colin asked.

"Our German Shepard." He said, "After my Doberman passed away, Kyle was depressed so we went down to the army K-9 school together. Saber's handler was KIA right in front of him while he was penned up. Since then he hadn't responded to anyone so the army retired him. They said he hadn't done much more than lay around until My son sat down next to him. Kyle loved Chopper and really didn't take it well, then without any one seeing it Saber crawled over to him and put his head in my sons lap. They both say there for about ten minutes before I saw them together. Both sad. Because he was trained as an attack dog, I wasn't to sure about him until I read his file. After what happened to his handler, Saber won't let Kyle out of his sight and Kyle has a new best friend again."

"And I know nothing will happen to my son with Saber there." Becky added then smirked at her husband, "Even though it was funny watching Kyle cry when you tried to get him to eat Peas and Saber started barking at you."

"Damn dog grabbed my shirt sleeve and pulled till I dropped the pan." Denis laughed, " Then he ate them all and started licking my sons face like he was trying to say, 'it's okay, I ate them for you.'"

"Smart dog." Colin smiled, "Liv told me about how she babysat Chopper for a week. I thought it was hilarious that a dog went on a bender in her apartment."

"Well believe itor not, dogs really are people and they behave like people." Denis laughed.

"Speaking of people," Denis added, "Your location was compromised and, no offense, your people can't stay here. Do you have a plan worked out on where your going to house the AUSA until your next location becomes available?"

"Most of my plans were on hold until we figured out how we were tracked. Now that we know how they found us, I can move us forward." He looked down at Becky, "As a lawyer, I need to know the courts likely standing on the prosecutor shooting down a DHS agent who may be working for the other side."

Becky shook her head, "Since the DHS Agent is her husband? Set aside the shooting for a minute. If they can prove he worked for the defendant or his allies, she can prove to be in conflict of interest and if they make a credible argument that she knew, your talking charges. Proving that she didn't know might save her ass but her credibility will be shot. They'll say she should have known her husband was dirty. Honestly, your case went from a winner to a loser with one bullet. Your best bet is to have her disclose the shooting, the husband and his connection, and recuse herself. Suffer the mistrial, and have a new lawyer refile charges. But I'm a JAG lawyer, not an AUSA."

"And the shooting?" He asked.

"The bullet from her vest got caught in her shirt and fell out on my kitchen floor. So you've got a clean ballistic sample for the shooting. Between her shirt, the vest you put her in, the bruising I'm sure she has and a ballistic match to his gun and you've got a case for self defense, particularly with previous attempts I've seen on the news."

He nodded to them and stretched his hand out to Denis, "Thank you. I know what a difficult position we put you in. Particularly with how we came here."

Becky narrowed her eyes, "You can thank your injured soldier for that and my husband. If it was my choice, I'd have called them an ambulance and left them outside."

Colin sighed, "it wasn't any easier on her."

"Yeah, well," Denis said as he put his arm around his wife, "Casey is my sister, Liv isn't. I'll help a wounded soldier but don't expect us to patch things up."

Colin nodded and dropped his hand, "Okay, then I'll check with Hill and see when we can move on."

He turned and walked out of the bedroom.

Denis sighed as he leaned against the wall. "Just when I thought we'd gotten past this."

Becky leaned into him, "Casey can't know she was here."

"Yeah but what about that letter she sent?" Denis asked, "Casey hasn't been right since."

"She's focused on Amelia, leave it alone for now." Becky looked through the open door at the hallway. "We can tell Dad after this blows over."


	30. Chapter 30

Frederick, VA.

Sometime after midnight, Abbie cried herself to sleep in Liv's lap. In an effort to comfort her as best she could, Liv gently stroked Abbie's hair as she slept. Once, a long time ago, Liv had dreamed of running her hands through this head full of long black hair on many nights. Her unrequited love for Abbie had influenced Liv in ways that left permanent marks on her. Her sharp mind, and athletic build was the reason Liv preferred slender, intelligent women. Abbie was the source of Liv's affinity for lawyers. Like Alex, like Casey.

She'd never regretted telling Abbie about her preferences, but for many years, she'd regretted not telling Abbie that she'd liked her in that way. But as Abbie slept with her head in her lap, Liv saw her with new eyes. In some ways, she saw the woman that, at one time, she would have given anything to be with. Now it was tempered with age and wisdom, and understanding.

And as she looked down at her old friend, she couldn't see unrequited love. SHe saw a friend that she'd regretted loosing touch with. And she saw Jane.

Though her sister had never outright cried in front of her, she'd seen that same sadness in her many times. That aching hole in her chest that said she'd lost a part of her soul. Abbie had it too, now. Though Janie had eventually healed, mostly because of Maura's return, Liv hoped that Abbie wouldn't know that pain for long.

Liv looked up as Colin quietly opened the bedroom door. His eyes focused on them and Liv saw guilt wash over him. She knew him better than most and knew that guilt came from not being there when she'd been shot by her husband.

He turned his head and then buried his feelings before looking back at Liv. His voice barely above a whisper. "We're getting ready to move."

"How long?" She asked.

"Ten minutes." He replied, "Griggs secured a passenger van so we're all going together."

Liv nodded and continued to stroke Abbie's hair.

"How is she?" He asked with a hitch in his voice.

"She's a mess. " Liv replied, "But she was one the most driven people i've ever known. If any one can pull through something like this, it's Abbie."

He nodded before backing out of the room.

Leaning back against the head board, Liv closed her eyes. Abbie had only been asleep for a few hours and the last thing she wanted to do was wake her.

"He blames himself."

She looked over at the man she'd almost forgot was in the room.

"I know." Liv said softly, "But he shouldn't."

"Nae just for her." Kieran said as he adjusted the shot gun in his hand, "other things, things that remind him o'her things."

"You talk to much." Liv replied, knowing how Colin felt about his past.

"Aye." He said with a slight smile, "But you know how he be."

Sighing heavily, she nodded.

"Abbie?" She cooed and gently shook the brunette in her lap.

Abbie came awake with a start, she glanced around the room for a second before she saw Jer friend.

"Olivia?" She asked in surprise… until her memories came back.

"John!" She gasped, and her face contorted into sadness. Abbie closed her eyes, releasing a pair of tears down her cheeks, "John, I'm sorry."

It was as soft a whisper as any, barely a breath.

Liv gently ran her fingers through Abbie's hair. "I know, sweetie."

Abbie sniffled before she sat up and swiped at her tears. Liv reached for the box of Kleenex and handed it to her.

Abbie blew her nose and stopped cold at the sight of the man in the corner.

"Kieran is Maura's bodyguard." Liv supplied, "Jane told him to watch you while she's being patched up."

Abbie's eyes widened, "She's alive?"

"Yes." Liv said with a slightly lopsided smirk, "Not for a lack of effort on the part of the bad guys, but my sister is really hard to kill."

Abbie sucked in a relieved breath before getting to her feet. "I want to see her."

Liv nodded as she stood up and lead the way with Kieran right behind them.

Jane was still on the kitchen table as others moved around, getting ready to leave. Her shirt had been cut away and she laid bare backed on her stomach. Still very raw and angry looking, the sutures over the jagged lines in her back did little to hide the damage.

Abbie sat down in one of the spindle backed dinner chairs near Jane's head.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Jane muttered. "Though I haven't seen how bad it is because Blondie won't let me."

Julia walked in with bandages and a roll of athletic wrap, "Trust me, you don't want to see my hack job."

"Your probably right." Jane smirked, "But you can always bill it to my HMO."

As the medic set about covering the wounds with gauze and taping it in place Jane looked over her copy.

"I'm sorry about what happened. I should have been there."

Abbie smiled sadly, "You were. When I needed you the most, you were there to protect me." Abbie put her hand on Jane's shoulder, "Thank you."

Jane nodded before looking over her shoulder, "Are you done back there?"

Julia nodded, "I feel bad for your wife, always bitching and griping. The woman must be a saint."

Jane smiled at the mention of her bride. "You have no idea."

Abbie's soft smile caught Julia's attention.

"What?" The medic asked.

Abbie shook her head, "They were made for each other."

Her face turned sad but before she knew it, Jane had a grip on her hand, and Liv had her hands on both of her shoulders.

Becky came in and set a t shirt on the table, "Thought you could use a new shirt."

Jane nodded and looked to Kieran. "You mind stepping out for a few minutes?"

As the only man in the room, he understood what she was asking. "Aye, I'll make sure No one comes in."

With Kieran standing in the doorway, Jane held the scraps of her shirt to her chest as Liv and Julia helped her to her feet.

By the time she was standing on her own, sweat had beaded up on her head and her eyes darkened.

"The shirt please." She said and there was no emotion in her voice.

Honestly the way Jane was acting scared Abbie a little as she pulled on the new shirt.

"Kieran." She called.

"Aye," he said without looking back.

"I'm going down in the car." She said with effort. "Don't let Abbie out of your sight unless Liv is with her."

He nodded, "Aye, it'll be done."

Becky shook her head, "You know, slavery was abolished in 1865."

He turned to glare at the small blonde, "I serve her o'my own free will and despite popular opinion, slavery only be outlawed in 1865."

He turned back as Colin walked in with Kate right behind him.

Eyeing his cousin, the big Irishman looked passed him. "It'll be dawn soon, we need to get going before then."

Jane nodded, "I'm ready as I'm going to be."

Kate moved passed Kieran and took up her sisters arm over her shoulder and helped her to the van.

Liv stood on the porch with Becky as they piled in to the 16 passenger van.

She took a deep breath before looking at the petite blonde.

"Thank you. I know you'd rather have left me outside—"

"Fuck off, Liv." She spat and headed inside.

Liv sighed as she stepped off the porch.

"Told you." Denis said from the open garage. "No one holds a grudge like Becky."

Liv stopped, "I can't blame her."

"Then I got an ear full from that Katie in there." He pointed at the van, "Do you regret what happened?"

Liv looked deep into Denis's eyes, "Every day."

He nodded, "Amelia got paroled two weeks ago."

A soft smile formed on her face, "That's good. I know how much it means to have her home."

Denis held out his hand, "Good luck Liv."

It was a small gesture, but Liv was grateful for it.

"Take care." She shook his hand and climbed into the van. He watched as they pulled out of the driveway and disappeared in to the morning light.


	31. Chapter 31

Boston Harbor.  
Boston, MA.

Paddy Doyle and three of his best men walked into the warehouse an hour earlier than the meeting Reddington had asked for. He'd wanted to be set up before that meeting took place but as they looked into the middle of the empty storage building, they found a silver top of the line Mercedes parked under the sole light.

Paddy ground his teeth at the international criminal who was starting to annoy him. As soon as they were visible, Dembe climbed out of the car and opened the back door for red.

"I see you prefer to be early for appointments." Reddington said with a smile.

"Save the bullshit and tell me what this is about." Paddy grumbled.

"I know you must be tired of words by now so I brought you a little something to tide you over."

Reddington waved a hand at Dembe who popped the trunk of the car and dragged a man out. He was tied gagged, beaten, and from the look of it, he'd been shot twice.

"Allow me to introduce Rex Trujillo," Reddington said as Dembe punched him in the back and shoved him into a metal chair.

"He led a team against your daughter-in-law's team tonight." Red frowned at the man, "Rex's team suffered heavy casualties due to Jane's friends who were forced to retreat."

Paddy's eyes saw red at the news.

"There were no casualties from the security detail. However, Rex here hasn't exactly been forthcoming with information." Red smiled and clapped his hands together, "Which is why I thought you'd like the opportunity to extract what you can from him."

"And if I get the name?" Paddy asked.

"I get what I want from him, and you will to." Red said with a smirk.

Paddy's scowl slid into an evil grin. "Clock in boys. We're puttin' in some overtime."

Both men grinned as they started rolling up their sleeves.

US District Court House

Surrounded by her guards, Abbie walked into the courthouse exhausted and weary as the two females cleared out the women's restroom. Unlike before, she didn't have to switch places with Jane. Since the cop had been severely injured, Colin had made her sit out this run, backed up by Liv's dire threats to make her sister suffer if she even tried to get suited up. As a result, Abbie had been the one cocooned in the ballistic armor with

Olivia in Jane's place beside her.

Though not exactly Jane's size, Liv had donned Jane's gear in hopes that no one would notice the more curvy woman. To Abbie, it meant the world that Liv would step in to protect not just her family, but Abbie as well.

"Time to go." Liv said softly.

Abbie looked over her shoulder and nodded. The need to put Bracken away and protect their families was the only thing that kept her going after…  
Abbie felt a hand on her shoulder. THe grip was firm and reassuring as Liv, concealed beneath Jane's balaclava and goggles, lifted a gloved hand towards the door.

"We're right behind you." Liv said from behind the mask.

Abbie nodded, turned towards the exit and walked out into the hallway.

"We've been requested to join AUSA Julian in the conference room." Booth said to her.

"Is that safe," Liv asked.

"I've known Caroline Julian for a very long time," he replied, " She's one of the good guys."

Colin nodded, "Then lead the way."

Caroline Julian didn't even bother to sit down at the conference table as Abbie and her guards came in. That alone wasn't a good sign. Booth walked up to her as the guards removed Abbie's flack jacket. "Caroline, what are you doing here?"

"Don't take that tone with me, Chere. You had a big case like this and you went off with another AUSA, I should be insulted but I know why you did." The hefty black woman looked over at Abbie and sighed, "I'm sorry to do this to you but your done here, Cher."

Abbie frowned at her, "After everything that happened, I'm going to see this through."

"And you did." She said firmly. "Charges are being dropped."

The guards all stiffened as Abbie's jaw fell open, "My husband is dead. My children are without a father because of that man." She stabbed a finger at the door, "You can't just drop it!"

"I'm your new boss, Cher." She said in that thick New Orleans accent, "Your husband's connections with this Raven character put doubt on the whole thing and after the resources that were put into this case, the defense is going to call for a mistrial and the Attorney General won't let me retry it. The case is over. I'm Sorry."

"I can recuse myself," she argued, "Then someone can take over instead of dropping the case."

"I never knew you had a hearing problem." Julian straightened, "The defense is going to put you under enough suspicion to cause a mistrial. It was a good fight but it's over, you lost."

Abbie's eyes widened, "I refuse to believe that it was all for nothing."

"It wasn't." Booth said as he put a hand on Abbie's back. "Bracken will never again run for office."

"But he'll come after our families, Booth." She protested, "All of them."

One of the guards stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder, she spoke with a partial Manhattan accent. "We can make sure that never happens."

Abbie glared at her. "How? He's free. He'll come for us all."

The woman shook her head, "No he won't. Trust us."

"I don't think I want to know, whoever you are." Caroline said, "You want to go through the motions, fine. Get her into the courtroom."

The two male guards cleared the way towards the courtroom. As per usual they took up posts around the room while Abbie was removed from the armor.

Ball and Bracken were already seated at the defense table. Bracken had a smug expression on his face.

Abbie didn't have time to process that as the bailiff called out, "All Rise."

Judge Collins walked in and sat down at the bench.

"Be seated as we continue the Trial of the United States Versus, William bracken."

"Your honor," Ball said, "With respect, the defense would like to enter new evidence that opposing Council is unfit to prosecute this case."  
The judge looked over the rim of his glasses, "Councilors approach the bench."

Abbie stood up and followed Ball, one of her guards moved to stand near the court reporter, out of hearing range but close enough to react to any threat.

"This better not be one of your games, Mr. Ball or i'll see you in my lockup."

"My information is solid your honor." He replied, "I direct your attention to the incident in Hanover, Pennsylvania. Among the bodies recovered in that deadly shootout, one was positively identified as Department of Homeland Security Special Agent John Griffin, the husband of AUSA Abigail Griffin. The Attorney General has uncovered evidence that identifies John Griffin as a regular contact for the Raven Cartel. We've checked with DHS and verified that Special Agent Griffin was not on assignment at that time. Furthermore, the very same Suburban Armored Transport that has been carrying the Mrs. Griffin to and from the courthouse was found in the warehouse wreckage. The implications are enough to cast doubt about Mrs Griffin's objectively "

"Miss Griffin." The judge asked.  
Abbie sighed, "Mr. Ball's objections are valid your honor. In light of the most recent attack on my life, I was about to enlighten the court openly about the attack and recuse myself."

"Then by all means, step back." He said.

Ball smiled at her as he nodded to Bracken.

Abbie returned to her table and closed her eyes.

"Your honor," she said softly, "I'm afraid that I am unable to continue to prosecute this case on behalf of the United States."

"Explain, please." Collins said firmly.

Abbie looked up at him, "I was attacked in Hanover, Pennsylvania three days ago. During that attack my husband, Special Agent John Griffin of the DHS, was among the people attempting to end my life. I was momentarily separated from my guard when he fired on me and I was forced to defend myself."

Her voice wavering, she had to stop to gather herself. The large male guard stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder. It was entirely out of character but Abbie appreciated it all the same.

"The FBI have launched an investigation into the attack and my husband's presence. In light of his actions and the implications of his involvement with the same cartel that we believe Mr. Bracken is involved with—"

"Objection!" Ball shouted.

Abbie continued, "In the interest of Justice, I must recuse myself from proceeding further into Mr Bracken's trial."

"Defense calls for a dismissal of all charges!" Ball barked, "AUSA Griffin, being the subject of an investigation into the shooting of her husband, who she admits is involved with the Raven Cartel, could possibly herself have involvement to said Cartel. Given the possibility of her own involvement, we suggest that Mr. And Mrs. Griffin could have manipulated the trial from its inception."

The judge leaned forward, "Mr. Ball, despite your wild accusations, it's up to the FBI to determine the level of AUSA Griffin's involvement with her husband's apparent ties to the Raven Cartel. As far as dismissal, I've seen no exonerating evidence or compelling argument for such action."

"Your honor, please." Ball protested.

"However." He stressed his voice loudly, "Given AUSA Griffin's recusal and statement, I am declaring a mistrial."

He looked towards the jury box, "The jury is dismissed."

Abbie felt like she'd failed them all as she descended the stairs of the US Court. William Bracken was a free man and the former senator would come after them and their families with everything he had. It was the worst case scenario come to life. Well, not exactly. Bracken will never be President or hold public office again.

Though the press called out questions and asked for statements, Abbie kept her head low with a certain large Irishman staying particularly close to her. Colin blamed himself for the attack that had gotten his friend hurt and landed Abbie squarely in the hands of Griffin. As a result, Abbie's guard had been augmented by Weller's CIRG who pushed through the press and got her into the LAV.

The CIRG got the doors closed and climbed into the Tahoe behind them in order to follow them back to her office.  
Jane sat in the back seat as they started peeling off the masks, helmets, and sunglasses.  
Abbie sighed heavily, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know John was dirty."

Kate put a gloved hand on her shoulder. "You did what you could Abbie. No one blames you for that."

"The case is a mistrial. I'll never work in Washington again and you heard Caroline, the AG won't let it be refiled. So what happens now?" She asked.

"You can come with us." Jane said. "Booth's investigation revealed some ties to Boston. Why don't you come flush them out with us?"

"I'm sure the DA's office could use an experienced prosecutor." Kate added. "And we'll be able to keep an eye on you and your boys."

She looked around at her dejected crew. "He'll be coming for us, won't he? Our families."

Colin put his hand over Abbie's. "He'll have to come thru us first, love."

"He won't get that far." Jane said as she pulled the phone out of Colin's vest pocket, "Maura's dad is still pissed off over her geting shot."

"And that means?" Abbie asked.

Jane put the phone to her ear, "Make the call."

She nodded, ended the call and handed the phone back.

"What did you just do?" Colin asked.

"I just made someone's day." Jane said, "In a couple of hours Bracken is going to be more worried about his own neck than ours."

Boston, MA.

The phone in his pocket rang and Paddy fished it out as Outsole worked over the man Reddington had turned over. Recognizing the number he answered it without hesitation.

"What do you want?"

 _"William Bracken."_ Came the thick brogue.

"That supposed to mean something to me?" Paddy snarled.

 _"Aye, its the name you've been looking for."_ He replied, _"I know my benefactor so keep what your going to do out of Boston and she won't look to hard for a connection."_

Paddy's mood improved severely, "She told you to give it to me?"

Kieran replied firmly, _"I do what I have to do in order to keep them safe. That's the job you gave me, and the one Jane gave me after I was freed. You know how serious I take my job."_

Paddy smiled, "Keep doing what your doing, Kieran and you'll never have issue with me again."

 _"Don't bring your work into their lives and I'll nae have issue either."_ He hung up the phone.

He turned and stared at Reddington, "William Bracken ordered the hit on my daughter and her wife."

"The Senator from New York." Red said, "He has a house in New York and a condo in Washington."

Paddy blinked, he hadn't expected Red to be so forthcoming. "You gonna stop me?"

Red shook his head and pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket, he held it up in a gloved hand, "Bracken is of no more use to me. Your daughter-in-law did her job well and Rex here gave me what I needed."

"Ravenna Byrne." Paddy said, "That means something to you."

"Indeed." Red said and dialed a number. "Mr. Kaplin, I'll be needing you in Boston."

Red hung up the phone and nodded to paddy, "I'll take care of this for you. He'll make the perfect gift for someone I don't like."  
Paddy pulled an ice pick out of his pocket and jammed it into Rex's chest.

"If your going to dump this on the Raven, see to it she knows that the Boston Docks are mine and she's not welcome."

"I think I can arrange that." Red said, "Happy hunting."

"Donny." Paddy shouted, "Get the boys together, we've got some calls to make."

 _ **A/N: Sorry about the long delay, I've tried to make the ending better to better fit in with the current drama but after weeks of block, I've managed to stich this together but fortunately the last chapter is better. Enjoy. and this will be all from me for a little wile, I've decided to sit back and post only when I have a complete story or atleast 90% of one. don't worry, I wont give up. just slowing it down some. final chapter of convictions incoming.**_


	32. Epilogue

The black Mercedes Limousine pulled into the courtyard and came to a stop in front of the main doors of the mansion. two men and a beautiful young woman were waiting the arrival of the big car.

The guard walked up to the car and held the back door open as William Bracken got out of the back seat. despite being older he was still fairly handsome in his loose pants and silk shirt. the young girl walked down the steps and greeted him. the breeze blowing her sundress against her slim body, causing him to leer at the fact that she wasn't wearing undergarments.

"Hello sir. My mistress has sent me to greet you and welcome you to Columbia." She said with a thick Portuguese accent.

"Thank you, my dear." He said in a tone that caused her smile to wilt. His voice laced with desire and alcohol, his eyes roamed along her body and she regretted what her mistress had dressed her in today.

She forced her smile back into place, "If you will follow me, I will take you to her."

Anastasia tried her best to keep her mind on the task her mistress had sent her on as she led the way back into the large home. She felt her rear end heating up as she climbed the large staircase and a glance over her shoulder told her why. Every man in the compound had been threatened with live castration if they so much as looked at her and no woman was allowed to take pleasure in touching her at all.

Her mistress had been good to her over the last month and she didn't want to disappoint her, such things could be fatal in this house. Bracken was staring at her ass as she climbed and she was unable to do anything about it. He was her mistresses guest.

As she reached the top of the stairwell she turned towards the office and felt a hand on her ass. She jumped and stepped away.

"You must not touch me, my mistress will not approve sir." She said quickly.

He smirked at her, "Your mistress and I are old friends. Which way do we go?"

Anastasia swallowed and pointed down the hallway, "Her office."

Because he was new to the compound, she was unaware as to whether she was supposed to tell him about the rule or if her mistress left it to someone else. Honestly she was afraid of what her mistress would do now.

She quickly stepped in front of him and opened the office doors for him. He snagged a glance at her perky chest before stepping inside.  
Ravenna was sitting at her desk with a key of cocaine in front of her and a knife in her hand. Romeo was right beside her. She stuck the knife into the bag and pulled out a small sample of the drug and examined it beneath her desk light.

"This looks beautiful," she brought the knife to her lips and licked the white powder off of the blade. Smiling as she tasted it she nodded to Romeo.

The mountain of a man took the blade and tasted it himself, "I like it, smooth, potent. very nice."

She looked at the man who was smiling as he sat in one of the chairs across from her, "Alejandro, give a sample to our testers, if they report it is as good as it tastes, we will be adopting your method of production."

He smiled wider. "Thank you Mistress. I was hoping that you would like it."

She nodded, "Even with the longer baking time, the price we could charge would be more than enough to make up for the added time. Have the testers try it and if they like it then you will receive a healthy bonus. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Romeo picked up the tray and handed it to the older Hispanic man. "I'll have Mango check on them in an hour."

Alejandro took the tray and nodded, "I do not believe they will be disappointed."

Ravenna looked over to Bracken, "Care to try a sample of Alejandro's recipe?"

He shook his head, "No thank you. I prefer women to drugs."

Anastasia cringed and Ravenna didn't miss the look.

"I understand." She said. "Anastasia is my greatest joy, so much to the point where I have ordered the castration of anyone who touches her."

Brackens smile faded slightly, Anastasia turned her eyes away in shame. That told Ravenna everything she needed to know.

"Anastasia, could you be a dear and wait for me in my bedroom?"

The girl turned pale, but nodded before walking out of the office.

"So, have you been to the Villa yet?"

"It's very comfortable." He said. "As was your greeting party."

"Some of the most beautiful women in the world are Brazilian." She said. "I have sampled them all, but Anastasia I kept for myself. She has the most beautiful... Well, that's actually my business."

She looked up at her business partner and nodded, "Oh, I forgot that dinner was going to be a formal affair tonight, could you ask her to change into that red dress that I purchased for her when we were in Rio?"

Romeo nodded, "Should I arrange for flowers as well?"

She looked up at him, "Yes. Something from the garden. Preferably before it's treated."

"I'll get right on it."

Romeo walked out of the office and closed the door behind him.

Bracken shook his head, "This is some operation you're running."

She nodded, "It pays the bills."

He laughed as he walked to the large picture window behind her desk. "Does a little more than pay the bills I think."

"So you asked for this meeting." She said still sitting in her chair. "I protected you from the Irish mob and got you out of the country. What more can I do for you?"

"Well, I was thinking on the flight down here about Washington and the trial." He turned away from the window to look at her, "I want revenge, it''s the perfect retirement option."

She blinked at him, "Retirement option? And exactly who do you want revenge on?"

He smiled at her, "Beckett, Rizzoli and Griffin."

Ravenna arched one of her finely shaped eyebrows at him. "You want me to kill two cops and a US attorney for you."

"Actually, I want you to find a way to get them here so I could do it."

Ravenna stood up to her full height. "Senator, I don't believe that you understand what I do here. I am a business woman who trades guns, sex, and drugs for power. You have no power anymore, so why would I help you beyond the generous gifts that I have already bestowed on you?""

"To help cut off a few loose strings," He said "Beckett has been after me for twenty years and she knows about Rizzoli behind her, they'll keep gnawing at you until they have you. Griffin ruined our plans for the future. I would think these things would concern you."

"Actually, I'm rather flexible." She snorted at him. "But, you are correct about Beckett and I do have to address the threat she poses, but what service would you perform for this?"

He looked at her, "Whatever I can do for you."

She smiled at him and ran her eyes along his body, "The girls I have provided for you said that you can be rough."

"Sex?" Surprise rocked him right before he got that familiar gleam Ravenna recognized. "That is what you want?"

"You have no power, money or guns." She smiled seductively, "Whatever I want."

Bracken nodded, "Deal."

Ravenna stood up and lead the way to her bedroom.

Anastasia was standing at the armoire, hanging the red dress on the hook. She placed her hands in front of her as her mistress entered.

"Take off your clothes, Senator." She said as she cupped Anastasia's face and lead her towards the balcony. "Open my shirt, my beautiful flower."

Bracken smiled at the image that was rolling in his mind. Ravenna was gorgeous with a beautiful body and nicely shaped rack and an ass he just wanted to slap, but her servant was young tight and just had the promise of satisfaction. To have them both, Bracken couldn't wait. Still he removed his clothing casually.

Ravenna smiled as the closet door soundlessly opened.

"Touch me sweet Anastasia." She whispered huskily.

The girls hands reached inside the shirt to cup her mistress. Ravenna groaned in satisfaction while keeping her eyes on the Senator. Judging by his erection, Ravenna knew where he was focused.

"If you please," she said with a hand out. "Mango."

Bracken frowned an instant before a thin wire cable was wrapped around his neck. He panicked and jerked, but a hard knee to the back dropped him to his knees.

Anastasia had been too preoccupied with worry about the man she was certain her mistress intended to share her with to notice Mango come out of the closet and when the American yelped, she'd jumped.

Mango grinned as he latched a clamp on the cable. He kicked the senator hard enough to knock the wind out of him.

"Romeo?" Ravenna called out.

Anastasia heard the sound of a diesel engine start outside.

The senator gasped for air as he tried to come to terms with what was going on. Mango dragged him outside on the balcony and quickly tied Brackens wrists together before hooking them up to the cable that was slung from the roof.

Anastasia couldn't move as Mango took the cable off of Bracken's neck and he was hoisted into the air.

As the wood chipper came into view he screamed.

Ravenna pulled Anastasia close and shoved the girls hand inside her bra. "Don't stop my dear. I want to feel you when he makes me come."

She looked over to Mango. "Save his head and his hands."

Mango got a sick grin and nodded. "We'll treat the garden good with this one."

Ravenna pulled Anastasia to the bed and ripped the sun dress off her before looking back to the senator. "Lazarus wanted you dead, but I gave you sanctuary. And you repay me by asking for something that interferes with my plans. Then you touched my personal property."

"You'll burn in hell for this you bitch."

She smiled. "And I'll take it over too, but don't worry, you'll do your part by dying here and in a few days, Moss will have his proof of your death. But look at the bright side senator." Her eyes were cold as ice. "You're going to bring me to exquisite orgasm... with your screams."

She nodded to Mango and as Bracken was being lowered into the maw of the device she had Anastasia writhing in pleasure. Brackens screams did get her off, but what she adored was how Anastasia, filled with fear and deeply troubled by the gurgling sounds of bracken's death, came hard beneath her mistress. Ravenna smiled down at her as the machine was turned off.

Boston, Massachusetts  
Four days later...

Rick smiled as he hung up the large picture of the stairwell behind the desk of his new home office. He took a step back to admire it before looking around the room. Everything was perfect.

His eyes fell to the picture in the frame that sat on the edge of the desk. The photo was of him with his fiancé in one arm and his daughter in the other. Over the last two years it was rare to see them in a picture without Jane and or Maura.

But, Kate had come up with the idea of a portrait of just the Castles to show him that even though she was part of Jane's family, Alexis and she were his family more.

His eye turned to the other picture that stood next to it. A wedding photo of Jane and Maura in their wedding dresses with Rick and Kate in their tuxedos. He smiled at how Kate's Lady Armani made her look so feminine despite the title of best man.

And now they had finally set the date.

Rick had never been so deeply in love as he was with Kate and she was ready to take that leap with him. Abbie hadn't put Bracken in prison, but she'd done enough to allow Kate to finally make peace with her past. Rick would always be grateful to her for that.

Kate knocked on the door frame and leaned in. "Wow, this room really shaped up nicely Castle."

He nodded with that charming lopsided grin. "The whole house is starting to feel like home."

She walked on and wrapped her arms around him, "You're what feels like home to me."

She looked up at him, "Any regrets yet?"

He cupped her cheek gently. "Not so long as I have you."

He bent his head down to kiss her, but was interrupted by the doorbell.

Kate snorted. "I'll bet it's my partner and her really bad timing."

"Probably. Let's go chase her off and spend the afternoon alone."

She smiled. "That is the best idea I've heard out of you yet."

She kissed him quickly and let go to go answer the door, Rick right behind her, but as she looked out of the front door window she didn't see anyone. Curious, she opened the front door and looked outside but there was no one but the various neighbors out and about.

She was about to go back inside when she saw the brown cardboard box on the porch. She eyed it carefully and saw a small note attached to the top. She flipped it open to see a feminine handwriting.

 **Welcome to Boston**. It said.

Since the box wasn't sealed she carefully peeled open the flaps and jerked as she saw what was inside.

The severed head of William Bracken.

"Rick!" She shouted casually. "I need my phone please!"

He walked out with it and frowned. "Is that..."

"It is." Kate took the phone from him and dialed Boston's dispatcher. "This is Sergeant Katherine Beckett. I've got a DB delivered to my house. Send Homicide, the ME and CSU... Fine, CSRU. Just send them to my house on file. Thank you."

She looked at the face that had haunted her for years. Contorted in pain, Bracken hadn't died well. But, what had alarmed Kate was the blood covered white rose that was clenched by the stem in his teeth. A small note dangled from beneath the bud.

She took a pen out of her pocket and moved the note enough to read it.

 **Detective.**  
 **My understanding is that it's customary to give a housewarming gift when someone you know moves. My gift to you is the justice that you were denied. Know that he suffered greatly and died screaming. My best wishes to you and your beautiful family, especially young Miss Castle. I hear that she loves Boston.**  
 **The Raven.**

Kate's heart stopped beating for a second. There was no way to see the note as anything but a veiled threat. Her blood ran cold at the thought of that psycho coming near her step-daughter.

A moment later Jane's car screeched to a halt in Kate's driveway.

Jane and Maura both got out in a hurry, Maura carrying a similar box.

"She sent us someone's hand." Jane said.

Kate pointed at the box. "I got the head."

Jane stopped. "Its Bracken."

Rick shook his head. "What did your note say."

Maura held it up with a gloved hand so he could read it.

 **Detective. I hear congratulations are in order. I believe one is expected to bring a gift when someone you know gets married. My gift to you is the hand that orchestrated the attack on your lovely bride. Take peace in knowing he'll never threaten her again. Give my best to your bride who i''m told is now expecting. I'm sure she'll give birth to a beautiful baby.**  
 **The Raven.**

Jane looked at her partner, "What do you want to do Kate?"

She glared at her partner. "What else can we do? We find her and we take her down."

Jane nodded. "Anyway we can."

Kate looked all around the area, hoping to see someone watching.

"Damn right." The sergeant said coldly.

 _ **A/N: Okay, so I do have two or three other projects running right now in addition to a very busy work schedule. Disclosure and Discovery are the next projects I have in this universe but keep me in your follows because I'm going to have something for you this summer. thanks for playing along and like I said. I'm bot giving up until it's all done.**_


	33. Update error

Don't know why it didn't send updates but hopefully this fixes it.

chapter 30 and 31 posted. Enjoy.


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